But is Ondrej Pavelec really that good?

Before I attempt to answer that question, I must say that I am not backing down from anything I’ve already written on the website or said on The Illegal Curve Hockey Show. I strongly believe that the Jets can earn a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and I believe that Ondrej Pavelec has the ability to be one of the best goaltenders in the National Hockey League.

More on why Ez feels that Pavelec will be a difference maker this season after the jump.

Is this assertion unrealistic? Some of our readers (and members of Illegal Curve) have told me that I’m being too optimistic and that is fine because they’ll be buying me beers next April (just kidding).

Because of his age (23 years old), NHL experience (119 games) and location the last two years (Atlanta), Pavelec remains somewhat of an unknown in the hockey world. Pavelec is considered to be above-average but not elite, technically sound but not flashy.

Here is what friend of Illegal Curve, Gus Katsaros, Pro Scouting Coordinator for McKeen’s Hockey, said about Pavelec:

“He’s a bona fide NHL starter having endured some bumps along the way. Included as a back up to Tomas Vokoun on the Czech Olympic team and had a marvellous first half of ’10-11 – stealing some games outright – before faltering down the stretch in conjunction with a total team collapse. Not necessarily right to pin the second half woes on goaltending. His save percentage was a remarkable .914 for only 21 wins and sub-.500 record (21-23-9).

He’s grown into a capable NHL starter with a bright future. He’s very athletic, flexible and quick. Plays his angles well and starting to put it together in terms of rebound control and not getting drawn out of position, but has improved year over year. His stickhandling is a work in progress as well. There’s a star in there somewhere, but still questions as well.

It’s a pivotal year for him becoming a restricted free agent at the end of the season. His contract negotiations could be hinged directly to his Jets debut. Regardless, he’s the right player to kickstart the franchise and build on a solid foundation from the crease on out.”

This is pretty high praise from Katsaros as well as good insight into the Jets Number-1 goaltender that many remain on the fence about but not quite an affirmation of my thesis though.

A statistic that IC’s Richard Pollock likes to use when analyzing goaltenders is Even Strength Save Percentage, a statistic that is a little more telling than the basic save percentage stat that doesn’t exclude power play goals against. Last season, in 58 games, Pavelec’s E.S.S.P was .928 (or 92.8%) which was 14th best in the National Hockey League. This is impressive when you consider that the Atlanta Thrashers had the third worst goals against total in the National Hockey League, surrendering 269 goals and also that the average E.S.S.P. in the NHL last year (for goaltenders who played a minimum of 20 games) was .921.

Using the regular old save percentage statistic, Pavelec was better than Martin Brodeur, Miikka Kiprusoff, Jimmy Howard, Jaroslav Halak and Steve Mason. This is by no means proof that he is a better goaltender than these established tenders, but this also doesn’t hurt my case either does it?

Look, Ondrej Pavelec is a good, even great goaltender, but I think he has been overlooked as an excellent goaltender capable of becoming an elite goaltender. People forget that Pavelec came into the NHL at the tender age of 21 years old in 2007’08 and ran former 1st overall draft pick Kari Lehtonen out of town a few years later.

Pavelec won a Calder Cup Trophy in the American Hockey League (in 2008, he won all 16 games for the Chicago Wolves and posted a superb .921 save percentage) and has proven time and time again that, even at a relatively young age, he can play night in and night out and lead his team to victory.

Pavelec is a quintessential winner and he has not been given as much credit as Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price, another young goaltender who won a Calder Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs (2007). Now, before you start rioting Habs fans, I am not saying that Pavelec is as good as or better than Price, but I am saying that he is in the same league as Price and certainly has the ability to post similar numbers to what Price did last year (38 wins, 8 shutouts, .923 save percentage). The reason I believe Pavelec can post these numbers in 2011’12 is that Winnipeg’s defense will be better this year (Zach Bogosian has improved, Mark Stuart was a nice addition and Randy Jones is better than Brent Sopel).

Fundamentally, Pavelec is an A goaltender. He is tall, quick and covers the net almost as good as anybody, with the exception of maybe Price, Henrik Lundqvist and a handful of others. He has posted very respectable numbers on poor Atlanta Thrashers teams the last two seasons and has proven that he can be the Number-1 guy at a very early age.

There are some negatives to Pavelec’s game and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of them here. Firstly, Pavelec has shown signs of extended inconsistency and his play has tailed off immensely in the second half of the last two seasons but as Gus Katsaros mentioned, this cannot be fully blamed on Pavelec as he was negatively affected by the team’s overall downslide. Pavelec’s stickhandling is also poor and he does still struggle up high.

In conclusion, Pavelec is ready to take the next step this season and will benefit greatly from more stability in Winnipeg.

Whether or not that means a Vezina-caliber season remains to be seen.

Hey, at least I made my argument.

As season ticket are being snapped up by the city of Winnipeg like a slurpee on a hot day in June (note to self – get slurpee after work), those of us who are sharing season tickets have begun to focus on which games we want to attend.

Whether you have a draft or randomly draw teams, everyone has a preference as to which games they want to see.  Will it be Game 1, or Teemu’s return, an old Smythe division rival or an Original 6 team.  We can’t create a Top 10 list because we all place different factors on what games are important to us.

Coincidentally we received an email from a longtime reader (Stevie from NYC, a former Winnipeger) who offered us his thoughts, which he wanted to share with his fellow IC readers.  In addition to enjoying his memories, why not let us know which are your top games that you are eager to attend.

by Stevie from NYC

One of my fondest memories of my childhood in Winnipeg was the yearly ritual every fall when my dad would come home late at night with an envelope that he would empty on our dining room table. The contents were the most exciting thing a young hockey fan could wish for – our share of season tickets for the upcoming Jets season!

We split our tickets (Section 28, row 3, seats 5 and 6, on the blue line, right by where Ron and Don would stand to do the HNIC preview and where the refs would come out) with two others, which meant I had the task each year of making a list of the games I wanted to see the most and then waiting to see what we got. I can remember the excitement of seeing a Pittsburgh Penguins ticket fall out of that envelope, knowing that I would get a chance to see #66 up close, or seeing the otherwise dreaded Oilers logo and know that I had a date with #99 and friends. Those were exciting years.

With NHL hockey poised to return to Winnipeg, and tickets going on sale as we speak, I thought it would be useful to put together a cheat sheet of the top teams I’d most like to see at the MTS Centre this season. Obviously scheduling will come into play (the first home game will be #1 on most of our lists, as will games receiving the Hockey Night in Canada treatment) but I still hope this is helpful and triggers some fun discussion.

#1. Anaheim Ducks: Teemu. No further explanation required. Only question here is whether you take this game over the first game of the season….and whether there is enough Kleenex in the city to wipe away the tears that will flow on this night.

#2. Vancouver Canucks: No guarantee they will be on the calendar in year 1, but the potential Stanley Cup champs and one of the Jets’ historical rivals (I remember being up 3-1 against them in the playoffs and Greg Adams sliding into the crease to score in OT like it was yesterday) will be a top draw with their roster of Moose alums.

#3. Detroit Red Wings: I’m sure I’m not the only one that felt weird cheering on the Wings against the Coyotes in the first round of the playoffs this year. The ’96 playoffs are fresh in the minds of many a Winnipegger and seeing Kris Draper and Nick Lidstrom will surely trigger some memories.

#4. Phoenix Coyotes: This game absolutely needs to happen this year (especially since it may very well be the Coyotes last season….stop me if you’ve heard that before). Sure to be some great chants at this one..hopefully some ladies have some creative signs and lines for one Mr. Bissonnete.

#5. Washington Capitals: Fans would be wise to soak in our one year Southeast division rivalry with Ovi the Great. Anyone who saw the Caps on HBO’s Caps/Pens 24/7 should be excited to see this squad. And speaking of Caps/Pens….

#7. Chicago Blackhawks: The first visit for Winnipeg’s Golden Boy, Jonathan Toews will surely be a cause for celebration, not to mention the sideplot of Big Buff and Andrew Ladd taking on their former club. Local cabdrivers may be less excited about a visit by a certain Mr. Patrick Kane.

#8. Edmonton Oilers and #9. Calgary Flames. The Oilers and Flames are classic Smythe Division foes, and while both these clubs are shells of their former selves, old rivalries will certainly be renewed in the years to come following realignment next season.

#10. Montreal Canadiens and #11. Toronto Maple Leafs. Where you rank the Leafs and Habs depends on ancient allegiances, but we’ll be getting two visits apiece from these clubs, at least a handful of which should make it onto the HNIC slate.#12. Boston Bruins. No matter who wears the jerseys, there is always something special for longtime hockey fans about seeing an Original Six franchise come to town. Bump them up a little hire if they capture Lord Stanley’s Cup.

#13. Tampa Bay. Like the Caps, we’ll be getting 3 visits from Vinny, Marty and Stevie this year, each of which promises to be a fast-paced, exciting affair. Lots of Canadians to cheer for on this team too.

#14. New York Rangers and #15. LA Kings. Seeing “Winnipeg” and “LA” or “New York” next to each other on the jumbotron will be worth the price of admission for these matchups.

Honorable Mentions: The Minnesota Wild and the Jets have the makings of a heated cross-border rivalry pending re-alignment, but the Wild are not the most exciting on-ice product. The one visit this year by the San Jose Sharks is sure to be a hot ticket as are the two visits by the Philadelphia Flyers – hopefully Flin Flon’s Bobby Clarke makes an appearance at these ones. The Ottawa Senators are Canadian…I guess that counts for something.

How does this match up with your vision?  Sound off in the comments section.

• The Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues all have negative goal differentials but plus .500 records.  Just elaborates on fact that .500 isn’t really .500 anymore.
• Sidney Crosby has won 57% of his face-off this season, as compared to 51.3% last season, 51.4% in 2007/08 and 49.8% in the 2006/07 season.  He wants to improve in every aspect of the game and nothing seems to be stopping him.
• Wojtek Wolski is 4th in the NHL in even strength points.  Aside from Wolski, everyone else on that list doesn’t surprise me.
• The top five minutes per game defensemen in the NHL are all Canadian: Dan Boyle, Jay Bouwmeester, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger.  My question for you is: Do all these defensemen make Team Canada?
• Of the top goaltenders in the save percentage category, three of them are Finnish: Miikka Kiprusoff, Antrero Niittymaki and Tuukka Rask.  Do any of these netminders get the edge over Niklas Backstrom at the Olympics?
• Does John Tavares have the quietest 24 points in the NHL this season?  The rookie has 13 goals in 30 games which puts him on pace for 35 goals in 2009/10.  The Calder Trophy seems like it will go to Tavares or Tyler Myers on Buffalo.  The voters will have a difficult time with that one.
• Ken Hitchcock’s Columbus Blue Jackets are 7th in the NHL in goals per game and 28th in the NHL in goals against per game.  Yes, that is not a typo.
• Of Montreal’s 31 games, ten of those games have gone to overtime/shootout with the Habs winning on eight occasions.  The Habs have picked it up lately in regulation and that will need to continue, otherwise their luck may run out.
• Conversely, the Leafs have seen eight of their 29 games go to overtime/shootout and have only won one time.  Flip those overtime records around and the Habs faithful may drive to Tampa Bay to bring Vincent Lecavalier to town–cap or no cap!
• Three of the top five  Oilers’ top +/- totals come from Dustin Penner, Ladislav Smid and Andrew Cogliano.  Dany Heatley who?

Before examining the Leafs’ options for eventual improvement, let’s take a look at the team’s cap situation.

The Leafs will have the following players under contract for 2010/2011 season (numbers courtesy of nhlnumbers.com):

Forwards:

Phil Kessel—$5.4 million ($5.4 million cap hit)

Jason Blake–$3 million ($4.00 million cap hit)              

Niklas Hagman–$3 million ($3.00 million cap hit)

Mikael Grabovski–$2.975 million ($2.9 million cap hit)

Colton Orr–$1.00 million ($1.00 million cap hit)

Jay Rosehill–$0.525 million ($0.512 million cap hit)

Viktor Stalberg–$0.785 million ($0.123 million cap hit)

Defensemen:

Mike Komisarek–$4.625 million ($4.5 million cap hit)

Tomas Kaberle–$4.25 million ($4.25 million cap hit)

Francois Beauchemin–$3.6 million ($3.8 million cap hit)

Jeff Finger–$3.5 million ($3.5 million cap hit)

Luke Schenn–$0.875 million ($2.975 million cap hit)

Carl Gunnarsson–$0.630 million ($0.626 million cap hit)

Buyouts

Darcy Tucker–$1.00 million cap hit

Andrew Raycroft–$0.733 million cap hit

Total Cap Hit

So, for the 2010/11 season, the Leafs are slated to have $37.638 million dollars tied up.  This season, the salary cap is set at $56.8 million, so taking into account the struggling economy and expected dropping of the cap, let’s hypothetically set the salary cap at $55.00 million.

With that in mind, let’s see how the Leafs can turn the ship around for next season.

Keeping Own Free Agents

Before moving onto external options, there are probably a number of restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents that the Leafs will look to bring back to Toronto.

Own UFAs

We should first examine which unrestricted free agents will almost certainly be goners from Toronto either during this season via trade, or over the summer. 

Lee Stempniak: Stempniak may play a responsible game but he is highly overpaid at his current contract of $3.5 million.  With unrestricted free agency upcoming, Stempniak will be lucky to earn over $2.0 million on the open market.  I don’t see the former Blues forward re-signing in Toronto.

Matt Stajan: Matt Stajan is only 25, although it feels like he’s been around for 100 years.  For a while Stajan’s name has been bandied about in trade rumors and it appears that he will be moved prior to this season’s trade deadline—probably for draft picks.

Matt Stajan seems to be on his way out of the GTA. (Picture courtesy of Yahoo!)

Alexei Ponikarovsky:  The big Russian forward is underrated by many, and continues to quietly produce offensively in Toronto.  Last season he was the team’s second leading scorer with 61 points and only received 15:47 minutes of ice-time per game.  I could see the Leafs offering him a $3.00 million deal for the next two or three years, but he may look to play elsewhere. 

Wayne Primeau: If Primeau is brought back to Toronto, it won’t be at his current $1.4 million salary.  Rather, it would probably be at the league minimum.

Jamal Mayers: See Wayne Primeau.

Rickard Wallin: Wallin has found himself in the press box this season and seems like more of a stopgap option than anything.  I don’t expect him to return next season.

Mike Van Ryn: If Van Ryn was not injury prone he would have been a pretty solid defenseman in the NHL for a long time but the right-handed shooting rear-guard just cannot stay healthy.  The Leafs have enough bodies on defense, so this is clearly his last season in Toronto.

Garnet Exelby: Exelby provides the Leafs with toughness but the Leafs aren’t lacking in that regard, so I’d be surprised to see the mammoth defensemen return.

Vesa Toskala: At $4 million per season, Leafs management will be happy to have Toskala off the books.  I’d be surprised if he wasn’t dealt before the trade deadline this season, but if not, I don’t see him returning in the summer anyhow.

Own RFAs

Nikolai Kulemin: Kulemin is only 22 years old and did show some flashes of skill last season.  This season he has found himself in the press box and hasn’t been able to fully establish himself.  Even so, he is young and has potential, so expect him to be back at just around $1.00 million next season.

John Mitchell: John Mitchell is a speedster who has been miscast as a scorer at certain times in Toronto.  The 24 year old worked his way up from the Marlies last season and could be a nice third line center for the Leafs.  This season Mitchell is making $500,000, so a slight pay raise is in order but nothing substantial.

Ian White: White has been the Leafs’ best defenseman this season but when you look at the above defenseman salaries, how is this team going to fit him under the cap?  Well, there are a number of possibilities: 1) Trading of Tomas Kaberle; 2) Buyout/AHL demotion for Jeff Finger (more on this below); 3) Trade White this season.  This will be an interesting situation to monitor, and is also examined more below.

Jonas Gustavsson: The Monster is expected to be the Leafs’ netminder of the future; however, unless he plays amazingly over the final three quarters of the season he will probably want to sign a short-term contract in order to re-estimate his value in a year or two.

Unrestricted Free Agency

There are obviously going to be plenty of UFAs next summer, but here are some names that either have been mentioned or probably will be mentioned as possible Leafs targets (Note: The lack of defensemen on this list is due to the team having much of its salary cap  allocated to defense at this current time):

Ilya Kovalchuk: There was some talk over the weekend that Kovalchuk does not want to play in a market where the media pressure will be intense.  If that is not true, it is certainly possible Kovalchuk could hit the free agent market this summer and hold out for a max-offer from a big time team.  You would have to think the Leafs would be interested, but the Atlanta brass seems fairly confident that the organization has a good shot at re-signing the sniper.

Marc Savard: By all accounts the Bruins are close to re-signing their best playmaker.  Savard is from Southern Ontario but his future seems to be in Boston.

Ray Whitney: Whitney doesn’t seem like a Burke type player but he does provide instant offense and wouldn’t require a long term (Burke doesn’t like long term deals), big-time contract.

Olli Jokinen: Jokinen fits the size model for Burke but he has not been the effective player he was in Florida.  In fact, for the past two seasons he has been very poor offensively—and he isn’t exactly a defensive dynamo.  Leafs fans would grow tired of Jokinen quickly.

Rene Bourque: Now here is a player that would be an asset to the Leafs, but does anyone think the Flames will let him get away?  He has arguably been Calgary’s best forward this season and only seems to be flourishing under Brent Sutter.  So, expect Darryl Sutter to do what he can to get a deal done prior to July 1.

Raffi Torres:  Now this would make total sense for the Leafs.  Torres is an Ontario boy, but cannot squeeze top-six duty in Columbus.  He has size, is tough and when he has confidence he can be a good scorer.  Torres could play a bigger role in Toronto and seems to be the perfect type of fit for the Buds.

Raffi Torres could be a good fit for the Maple Leafs. (Picture courtesy of Yahoo!)

Alexander Frolov: Frolov is actually a good two-way player with a high skill level but there may not be a worse fit for a Brian Burke team than a player of his caliber who lacks intensity from time to time.

Tomas Plekanec: Plekanec has had a very good start to the season in Montreal and is probably the team’s best playmaker along with Scott Gomez.  Considering the Habs’ need for top-end talent, expect the Habs to put the full press on to re-sign the Czech center.

Chris Higgins: Higgins is a NY native but has had a difficult time getting accustomed to Broadway.  The former Hab winger/center is a big boy and goes to the net—both traits Burke likes.  If he cannot seem to find his way in New York, he could be a target.

Matthew Lombardi:  Lombardi would make some sense for Toronto, as he is only 27 and skates like the wind.  He could provide the Leafs with more skill up the middle and possibly replace the production of an outgoing player like Matt Stajan. 

Matt Cooke: Cooke played for Brian Burke in Vancouver and is just the type of high energy, gritty player that Burke likes on his team.  Unfortunately for Toronto, Cooke seems to have found a home in Pittsburgh and will probably opt to stay in Steeltown.

Patrick Marleau: If Ron Wilson is around, don’t expect Marleau to show up anywhere near Toronto, as they were not exactly best of friends in the Bay Area.

Brendan Morrison:  Another player with Burke history, Morrison is having a bounce back season in Washington, partly due to the team’s style of play and offensive talent level, but he is generally healthy and could be a nice offensive weapon on the relatively cheap.

Restricted Free Agency

Any talk about possible significant offer sheets being tendered by the Maple Leafs should be put to rest.  The Leafs do not own either of their two first picks over the next two seasons which precludes the team from tendering any kind of offer sheet to another team’s top restricted free agent. 

Trades

When trade talk is brought up around Leafland, the name that always surfaces is Tomas Kaberle.  Kaberle, while certainly not the greatest defensive defenseman, is a tremendous puck distributor and easily the Leafs’ best offensive rearguard.  For all the talk about him being on his way out of town, Brian Burke has recently said he won’t ask him to waive his no-trade clause.

Next on the trade talk list is generally Matt Stajan.  Stajan, unlike Kaberle, seems poised to be headed elsewhere this season.  If the Leafs can add draft picks for the young centerman, look for the team to jump at that opportunity.

Aside from Ian White, no other Leafs player seems to carry much value on the trade market.  White, as touched on above, has been the Leafs’ best blueliner.  Does the team really want to trade its best defenseman? Or will Burke find room for the Manitoba native?  He will certainly generate interest, but with Schenn struggling, and White adding a nice offensive element to the blue line, he may re-sign with the club instead of being dealt.

Sending Players to the AHL, buyouts and waivers

The Leafs have two prime candidates for this category.  The first candidate for being sent down to the minors is Jeff Finger.  Finger has certainly not lived up to the massive contract he signed seemingly out of nowhere two summers ago and the team could opt to send him to the Marlies.  If the Leafs were to do this, Finger would come off the salary hit but MLSE would still have to pay his salary in full.  If the Leafs did do this and were to attempt to bring him back up to the big club, then Toronto would be on the hook for half the remainder of his deal (if he was claimed by another team).  If Burke does opt to send Finger to the minors, do not expect him to bring the big defenseman back up to the big club soon thereafter.

If the Leafs want to clear cap space, Jeff Finger is a prime candidate for a demotion. (Picture courtesy of Yahoo!)

The top candidate for a buyout would be former UND Sioux forward Jason Blake.  Blake was signed by Burke’s predecessor John Ferguson Jr. and still has $3.00 million on his contract (dollar wise) for next season and the season after that.  Blake was productive offensively last season and actually hasn’t been that bad this season but he is a veteran player and tends to hold onto the puck too long and look for his shot first and foremost.   If the Leafs were to buyout Blake’s deal, the team would be on the hook for two-thirds of the contract spread out over a four year term ($900,000 per season against the cap).

The Leafs also have the option of waiving the above contracts, however, Finger would assuredly go unclaimed.  It is possible, but unlikely, that some team would claim Blake.

Own Prospects

We have already included Viktor Stalberg above, so here are the other Leafs prospects that may crack the team’s lineup either later this season but almost assuredly (at least in the first three cases) next season.

Tyler Bozak: Bozak was arguably the most-coveted college free agent available last summer and Leafs apparently hit the jackpot with that signing.  So far this season in the AHL, Bozak has dealt with the flu but is back in the lineup now and has posted nine points in sixteen regular season contests.  His talent level is high and he will almost certainly start next season in Toronto.

Christian Hanson:  Hanson isn’t said to have as much offensive talent as Bozak but his performance in the AHL this season should give the Leafs brass confidence.  Thus far, Hanson is playing at a point-per-game rate, is a plus player and leads the team in goals with eight.  Like Bozak, expect Hanson to become a regular in Toronto sooner rather than later.  In fact, he was just called up to replace the injured John Mitchell.

Jiri Tlusty:  When he isn’t posing in naked pictures, Tlusty can actually play a little bit.  With maybe more sheer talent than the players listed above, Tlusty cannot seem to put it together at the NHL level.  The competitive flow of the NHL game has not suited Tlusty well but he is still posting solid offensive totals in the AHL and will most likely get another chance to prove his worth.

Nazem Kadri: Kadri impressed all at Leafs training camp and was very good in the exhibition season too.  Having said that, the youngster hasn’t posted mind-blowing totals in London of the OHL this season (24 points in 21 games) and his offensive game seems to be suffering with the loss of the likes of John Tavares to the NHL.  If he is ready next fall, he will make the club, but don’t expect Toronto’s management to rush him. 

Draft

This is the thorn in the side of Toronto fans.  If the team finishes in the lottery this season, Brian Burke may never hear the end of his trade for Phil Kessel.  That is because the Leafs do not possess a first round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft as a result of the deal that brought  the young sniper Kessel to Toronto.

The Leafs re-acquired the team’s second round pick for 2010 but are without the aforementioned first round pick and are also without the team’s fourth round pick in 2010 as a result of the Bryan McCabe for Mike Van Ryn trade.

The Leafs are also without the team’s first round pick in 2011 and the team’s third round pick in 2011.

Conclusion

What does this all mean?  Well, aside from trades, the Leafs do not exactly have many avenues to improve their team.  In free agency, it does not appear that any superstars will hit the free agent market (and if they do hit they do not appear likely to land in Toronto). 

Additionally, being without their next two first draft picks will not allow for the Leafs to use the prospect of an offer sheet as a motivating factor in working a trade.

Combine that with the team’s lack of significant draft picks for the next two seasons and the Leafs will have to build from within and augment that talent through trade and mid-level free agent deals.

Prior to next season, the Leafs already have $37.638 million locked up as the team’s salary cap hit.  If the team re-signs its four fairly talented RFAs listed above (Kulemin, Mitchell, White and Gustavasson), that would account for approximately $5.00 million more on the cap. 

This would leave Toronto with a cap hit of $42.638 million accounting for nine forwards, seven defensemen and one goaltender.  If we estimate the salary cap to slot in at about $55 million, the Leafs would still have a fair bit of room to manoeuvre via free agency or trade.  Of course if the team wanted even more room, it could buyout/waive/send down to the AHL players like Jeff Finger or Jason Blake—as touched on above.

Looking at forwards such as Raffi Torres and Matthew Lombardi, along with bringing up prospects like Bozak and Hanson could give the Leafs nice depth throughout the lineup.  As well, the team will almost certainly look to add a veteran backup to complement Jonas Gustavsson between the pipes.

All in all, the Leafs are not as bad as people think this season and there is room to improve over the next few seasons.  Unfortunately, it seems less and less likely that the Leafs will improve via big free agent splash.  Instead, this team looks like it will be built from the inside out with some Brian Burke type younger free agents added in to create depth, competition and added offense and leadership to this club.

So, without further ado, here is an excerpt of my examination of whether Eric Lindros should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame:

Lindros,36, retired after the 2006-07 season after he played in only 49 games for the Dallas Stars (that’s right, Lindros played for Dallas remember?) and will be eligible for the HHOF next year as part of a potential class that includes Russian dynamo Pavel Bure and American goalie Mike Richter.  It makes sense that the gun-shot reaction of many hockey fans is to commonly dismiss the notion of Lindros joining recently inducted superstars Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille in the sport’s holiest shrine based on the shortened length of his career (760 regular season games played) and his low rank among the game’s all-time scoring leaders (865 points, presently 105th all time).

Read the entire article here.

Here is a link to last week’s Hotstove.

Now, in the past I have commented on the need for three writers with “inside” information to partake in this weekly second intermission tradition.  I continue to stand by that belief, but after last week’s showing I worry about the show’s direction.

See, last week on the Hotstove, the CBC only had one “insider” on the segment and that was Pierre LeBrun.  LeBrun is a good contributor, but he needs help. 

That is where the issue arises; can someone tell me when the Hotstove became an opinion segment?  I enjoy Mike Milbury’s opinion and Glenn Healy’s point of view on certain issues, even if I generally do not agree with them, but is  there not another time on the six-hour broadcast where they can express their opinions related to general hockey issues?

The Hotstove is an “insider” segment and to me, “insider” means inside hockey information–not just two people providing their personal opinions on issues that some fans care about and some fans do not.

The Canadian hockey fan is a knowledgeable one.  The Canadian hockey fan deserves an “insider” segment that provides back-stories on trade rumors, free agency and GM chatter.  The Hotstove should be, and used to be, the most mandatory hardcore hockey fan segment of the week.  Now, for some reason, we are subject to opinions on general hockey issues.  While I appreciate the opinions of two former hockey players, I don’t particularly think it is riveting television. 

Why can’t the CBC go back to its old format of the four-box television screen with three insiders and host Ron MacLean.  MacLean asks good questions and knows his stuff.  He is the perfect host for this type of segment and I feel his skills are being wasted.  Remember that, at heart, MacLean is a fan and asks questions about “insider” information that fans, like himself, want to hear.

I realize that the logistics of a four-way screen can be difficult at times, especially for the writers partaking in such an adventure–so then why doesn’t CBC fly them out to CBC studios once a week?  Either way I don’t think it is that arduous of a task to get everyone together in order to provide seven and a half interesting minutes of television.

I have been reading Elliotte Friedman’s 30 thoughts lately on the CBC website and his articles are terrific.  Not only are they insightful but they are well put together and provide such great inside information that I find myself waiting for the article to come out each week.

What would be so bad about the CBC putting together a weekly panel of Elliotte Friedman, Pierre LeBrun and Eric Duhatschek?  That panel has inside information, each writer/broadcaster is respected and none of the three would ruffle any feathers (see: Al Strachan).   Putting that group together would make the Hotstove must-watch television.

CBC Sports Executive Director Scott Moore is a smart man but his willingness to allow the Hotstove to turn into an opinion segment rather than an “insider” segment leaves much to be desired.

The arena seats 17,799 for hockey.  There were 9,162 in attendance. 

What do you think Shane Doan and Mark Recchi were discussing?

At the end of the day it was a Saturday night, the Bruins were coming to town and perhaps fans stayed away because they knew that Milan Lucic wasn’t going to be playing.  Whatever the reasons the arena looked empty again tonight.

The people showing up are the die-hard fans.  Yes, there are hard core hockey fans in the desert.  There are also the  band wagon jumpers and perhaps with each additional win, more of the latter will show up and begin to develop into the former.  Regardless more fans better start showing up or else it won’t matter if the Yotes win or lose because they will be doing it somewhere else. 

After tonight’s victory this team sits 3rd in the Western Conference and 1st in the Pacific and let’s hope  that for the next home game against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night that the crowd is above 10,000. 

The Coyotes team deserves it the way they are playing.

*photos courtesy of dafoomie

It is no secret that the Edmonton side has been hampered by an anemic power play for the last several seasons. In fact, one could argue that this ineptitude cost them a Stanley Cup in 2006. This sad sack unit seems to rely on Sheldon Souray’s shot and a whole lot of prayer, because they haven’t had any fresh ideas for some time.

The display the Oilers special team (like, very special) put on last night was nothing short of atrocious. Despite the absense of the hard-shooting Souray, the Oilers still tried the extremely bland “pass it to the point and hope” play, leaving a variety of different shooters to attempt a high and wide blast on net. I tell you, there was so much perimeter play out there I thought they were buidling a road around Winnipeg.

On the 4-3 powerplay in overtime, Gagner and Cogliano were standing so far in the corner when Visnovsky was shooting I swore Pat Quinn had sent them there for misbehaviour. There is absolutely no way they were in any position to get a rebound, and even if they did, their shooting angle was so slim it would take two tubes of KY to squeak a shot into the net.

I realize that they didn’t have the complete lineup out there, but I am sure they could have come up with a few slightly better configurations. I mean, there was more passing out there than you would see on a Showcase Showdown. Pass, Pass, Pass, Turnover. Even the 4-year old sitting behind me knew better, constantly asking his daddy why they wouldn’t shoot.

Fully willing to admit that I am arm-chair coaching here, I know its much harder to get a good shot on net than it looks. That being said, I have played enough hockey to know that directing something (anything) towards the net isn’t all that hard. And this is coming from a guy who offensive skills are so limited I have trouble scoring with Winnipeg girls.

If this poor power play is allowed to continue, I guarantee it will cost the Oilers at least 6 to 8 points in the standings, and thats huge come April, when very few points typically separate 8th from 10th in the Western Conference. Lets just hope this problem works itself out before October, when these losses will really mean something.

For example; if you were going to walk up the arena box office at my favorite school UND, Ralph Engelstad Arena would charge you more money for the premiere match ups than the not so premiere match ups. I digress; for example if you lucky enough to get a chance to buy tickets to Sioux Vs Gophers series (They sell out in like 10 minutes) they would cost you $45.00 a piece. Next in the ticket price progression; if you were to buy tickets for Pioneers Vs Sioux and or Badgers Vs Sioux they would run you $40.00 a piece. I believe that the University of North Dakota could charge $45.00 for both of these series as well and sell out. Shhhh! Please don’t tell the arena box office.

On the flip side of that you only pay $25.00 to watch a proverbial doormat team like UAA, Merrimack or MTU. Granted in some cases the arena will be just as full but it cost you less to sit in the same seat. Don’t worry though the concessions are going to be the same price for either series, and yes it will cost you an arm and a leg regardless. That’s another story for another day.

It’s not just Ralph Engelstad Arena that has these types of ticket price policies. I know it’s like that at other arenas because if I was to travel down to Saint Cloud to buy a ticket to the National Hockey Center (aka the Concrete Center) to watch a Sioux and Huskies game I know that I am going to pay more money for that game than I would If I was going to buy a ticket for SCSU Vs MTU game. That is not meant to disrespect MTU that just the brutal reality. The same would be true for the Gophers and Huskies game. That’s the economics of the college hockey game and there are some schools making obscene amounts of money on their division one hockey programs. In fact some of these programs are using this revenue to pay for their schools other sports programs.  

What does your program charge for a rival hockey game? I would imagine that B.C. Vs BU is going to cost more money than BU and Merrimack College (no offense to Merrimack). I would also bet that Michigan Vs Michigan State would cost more than Michigan Vs Lake Superior State University.

Not all are equal

I think that might be an understatement of facts, but think about this, American International, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac, Bowling Green University, LSSU or the University of Connecticut are not making as much money on their division one college hockey team as teams like Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Dakota or OSU for that matter. It’s a historical fact.  

In the WCHA for example there are a three schools that have huge advantages financially over the other school in division one hockey with their gigantic arenas that can provide huge paydays for their schools, examples are Minnesota 10,000+, Wisconsin 14,000+ and UND 11,500 you do the math. On the flip side of that other schools are playing in half empty arenas. Another factor is that isn’t talked about a lot is that teams like Wisconsin, Denver University, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston University, Boston College and North Dakota also have a good number of their games on television and thanks to local deals as well as Fox Sports/FCS/NESN  you can see a lot of these team’s games on television. I can watch D.U. almost as much as I can watch my own team thanks to FCS. Some of the other programs in college hockey not so much.   

Taking it further there are two other schools that have bigger arenas than the fore mentioned WCHA teams; but put up significantly lower attendance numbers last season. These two teams are UNO which plays in the Quest Center 16,680 averaged 6216 fans per game last season; the Mavericks should improve their attendance numbers when they officially join the WCHA in 2010-2011. On the other hand Ohio State University plays in Value City Arena 17,500 average attendance was 4181 per game and they had a decent team that made the NCAA playoffs as an at large bid.

UNO fortunes will of course probably change as they are joining the WCHA led by former UND and Fargo Force head coach Dean Blais. The move to hire Dean Blais by UNO brought immediate credibility to the UNO hockey program and probably will mean bigger and better bigger pay days for the UNO program. The WCHA has is known for having impressive attendance figures and WCHA teams are used to playing in large sold out arenas. There are also a few of their WCHA rivals which are known for having bigger crowds than some of the other big four conferences. One of the main reasons is that they will have a better on ice product because of their new coach and some of the WCHA teams fans travel pretty well i.e., Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. With adding UNO to the WCHA DU and C.C. fans will also have a drivable trip to Omaha where they don’t have to fly to. I could see a mid-winter vacation in Omaha myself.

Economic concerns and travel were some of the reasons that the CCHA gave for denying UAH’s application for membership, there had been pontifications about the some of the teams in the CCHA suffering from financial woes and wanting to be able to capitalize on playing the Michigan and Michigan State teams more because they draw more at the gate.   I guess I can see what they are getting at to a certain degree because I don’t blame the have not like WMU, LSSU, FSU, and BGSU wanting to pad their bottom line to put butts in the seats. Teams like Michigan, Michigan State, BU, B.C., Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota are big draw teams that puts fans in the stands, especially if your school is suffering from economic woes.  

Who are your favorite team’s rivals?

Examples of good college hockey rivalries that are also big time money makers; SCSU Vs UMN, UMD Vs UMN, DU and C.C. (Gold Pan), UND Vs UMN, UW Vs UMN (Border Battle), UND Vs UW, MSU-M Vs UND, BSU Vs UAH (Who hates Huntsville), MTU Vs NMU (Battle of the UP), BU Vs B.C., UNH Vs BU, UNH Vs Maine and U-Mich Vs MSU. If I missed any rivalries I apologize. I have a western bias of course. What is your favorite college hockey match up?

It was not my intention to disrespect a particular league or particular team.  Personally, I don’t watch the ECAC (aka the EZAC) very often so I might have missed the Cornell and Yale match up. Also, college hockey is very regional and I  like many other WCHA  or CCHA fans might not consider the fore mentioned game a premiere match up or a must see. I mean I do live in the west. That’s not to say that I haven’t watched said match up such as that. I have been known to watch match ups like this if these games are on CBS college sports (aka the CCHA television network) or FCS. That is another discussion for another day. None the less, these big time rival games are the games that you as the college hockey fan mark on your calendar and incidentally you may pay a bundle of money to attend these games. For that we give you rube cred. Personally, my favorite teams rivals are; Minnesota, Denver University and Wisconsin. I wonder if Holy Cross fans consider Minnesota a rival?

For more from Eric of Goon’s World check out my twitter, the Goon’s World Blog. Also Goon’s World on MVN.COM

First off, it was clear last week and is now that the Sharks’ trade of Christian Ehrhoff was made to create cap space for a future deal.  Rumor had it that Heatley was San Jose’s guy and those rumors proved correct.  With Ehrhoff’s salary off the books, San Jose had more financial freedom to make a big trade for the former 50-goal scorer from Ottawa.

Today’s deal can be broken down as follows:

San Jose receives:

Dany Heatley–four years remaining on his contract at a total of a $7.5 million cap hit per season.

Ottawa receives:

Milan Michalek–five years remaining on his contract at a total of $4.3 million cap hit per season.

Jonathan Cheechoo–two years remaining on his contract at a total of $3 million cap hit per season.

Second round pick

Let’s first examine the addition of Heatley to the San Jose roster.  Heatley will almost certainly lineup alongside Joe Thornton to form one of the top offensive duos in the National Hockey League.  Thornton is arguably the best passer in the NHL and prefers to pass at almost every opportunity.  Heatley, in contrast, is a shooter first and foremost.  He has a terrific release and a bullet of a shot–so these two players should complement each other well. 

Last season Heatley posted 39 goals and that was considered a poor season for him.  Most NHLers would kill for a 39 goal total but Heatley has posted 50 goals in two consecutive seasons (2005/06 and 20006/07) and scored 41 times in 71 games in 2007/08.  Needless to say he is one of the top snipers out there.  His addition to the Sharks should give the team a needed (it is hard to say much-needed with their offensive weapons) goal-scorer that has posted point-per-game numbers in the playoffs–where this team will need him most.

Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton will be one scary combination. (Picture courtesy of sportsnet.ca)

With today’s move, the Sharks could very well have assured themselves another first place finish in the Western Conference.  That being said, Sharks fans do not really care about regular season success anymore.  The playoffs are all that matters to Bay Area fans and they must be wondering what this trade does for them in that regard?  Well, as mentioned above, Heatley has posted very respectable offensive totals in the playoffs.  But the question I have is: Will Heatley step up when the games matter most?  Stats are one thing, but anyone who saw Heatley play in the Stanley Cup Final against Anaheim remembers his poor performance in all five games.  Simply, Heatley was virtually invisible when the series was coming away from the Senators, and while a player like Daniel Alfredsson imposed his will on the competition, Heatley was nowhere to be found. 

So, consider me skeptical in terms of whether this move will payoff at crunch time, but it is almost impossible to argue that the move isn’t beneficial to San Jose’s regular season and, maybe even, first round success.

As for Ottawa, GM Bryan Murray was between a rock and a hard place.  Heatley demanded a trade, it became public and then he rejected the trade the Senators made when he was dealt to Edmonton. 

The key to this deal for Ottawa was Michalek–who is a great skater, with good size and pretty good hands.  Michalek skates like the wind and is not afraid of contact.  In fact, he is the type of player Ottawa has been looking for for some time now.  He is only 24 years old, although it feels like he been around for a while.  The last three seasons he has posted 26, 24, and 23 goals respectively and has never been a minus player during any of his four NHL seasons.  The Czech native had 36 even strength points last season (fourth best on the Sharks) and accumulated these totals without playing any significant amount of time with Joe Thornton (the same cannot be said for Marleau/Setoguchi).  There is also a physical element to his game (92 hits last season), which really makes him a solid all-around player.

Milan Michalek is the key to this trade for the Senators. (Picture courtesy of sharkspage.com)

In Cheechoo, the Senators get a player who broke out with a whopping 56 goals in 2005/06 while playing shotgun with Joe Thornton.  That season really did come out of nowhere considering Cheechoo had never even scored 50 goals in the Ontario Hockey League.  In 2006/07 Cheechoo didn’t post 50 goals but he still scored a more than respectable 37.  Unfortunately for Sharks fans, Cheechoo lost his confidence and shooting accuracy and with that he lost ice-time–in the next two seasons, Cheechoo scored 35 goals combined.

So, are the Senators getting a 50 goal scorer or a 12 goal scorer?  I’d say somewhere in between.  Cheechoo needs to gain some confidence back and will probably get a chance to ride shotgun to a player of similar skill level to Joe Thornton in Jason Spezza.  I could see Cheechoo posting a 25 goal season in Ottawa and regaining some of the confidence he lost over his final two seasons in the Bay Area.  All in all, at a $3 million cap hit, Cheechoo is no albatross in terms of finances, so the Senators might as well take a risk on him because of his upside (remember he is only 29).

Can Jonathan Cheechoo regain his old form in Ottawa? (Picture courtesy of espn.com)

Finally, the Senators also received a second round pick in this deal.  If you are looking at the value of a second round pick, I wrote a piece examining draft round value for Puck Prospectus that you can read here.  In today’s day and age of the salary cap, draft picks are important.  Now, I realize this pick will be around number 60 overall but it still carries value, either for Ottawa’s prospect group or in a future trade.

Who won this deal?

You know, it is actually possible for two teams to both be relative winners in a trade and I think that is what happened today.  I don’t think either team hit a homerun today, as I have questions about Heatley’s ability to help a team win the big game, and the Senators still had to trade away a former 50 goal scorer.

That being said, the Sharks added a valuable piece and the Senators received pretty good young value for their disgruntled star. 

I give both GMs a B+ for today’s deal.

First off, I’m thankful that something hockey–not law–related was actually at the forefront of all hockey webpages around the world.  For the first time in a while, an NHL story can actually be analyzed for its on-ice merits. 

With that said, let’s analyze the Canucks’ recent acquisitions.  Before analyzing each player, let’s set forth their respective contracts. (The figures are courtesy of NHLnumbers.com)

Mathieu Schneider: 1 year on his contract at $1.55 million.

Christian Ehrhoff: 2 years remaining on his contract;  2009/10–$3.15 and 2010/2011–$3.4.

Brad Lukowich: 1 year remaining on his contract at $1.8 million.

It certainly says something about the current free agent market when Brad Lukowich is actually going to make more money than Mathieu Schneider.  That aside, the three acquistions didn’t really cost the Canucks much–aside from money cap room and two lower-tier prospects.

In Schneider, the Canucks get a player who has obviously seen his best days; however, that does not mean that Schneider cannot be a helpful player on the Canucks’ back-end.  Schneider brings tremendous puck-moving skills, specifically an ability to effectively quarterback the power play.  In 23 games with Montreal last season, the veteran American blueliner tallied an impressive 17 points (14 of which were on the power play).  Additionally, he logged over 20 minutes of action per night. 

While he doesn’t possess the defensive ability he once did–nor the mobility–his smarts, along with the number of Canucks’ defensemen ahead of him on the depth chart (Mitchell, Bieksa, Edler) who can eat up the tough minutes against the opposition’s more talented and challenging offensive players, makes this a very astute signing.

In Ehrhoff, the Canucks have added a two-way defenseman who possesses solid offensive skills and sometimes questionable defensive skills.  His 42 points in 77 games was an impressive total for the 27 year old defenseman.  Unfortunately, Ehrhoff was -12 for the Sharks last season, which was 15 +/- points lower than the next worst Sharks defenseman (Alexei Semenov +3).  So while his offense took a step forward last season, his defense took a step back.  In Vancouver he’ll be counted on to help the team’s speed and size on the back-end, but if he continues to struggle in his own zone, his playing time will be limited to less time than he saw in San Jose.  If that is the case, he’ll prove to be overpaid.

As for Lukowich, the Canucks are getting a smooth skating veteran defenseman who knows his role and can adequately fill in if need be.  On the Canucks, Lukowich figures to slot in behind Salo, Bieksa, Edler, Schneider, Mitchell and Ehrhoff on the depth chart.  Additionally, the team has Aaron Rowe and Shane O’Brien on the back-end, so Lukowich should see himself as the 7th/8th defenseman on the team.  Luckily, the 33 year old B.C. native is a profesional player and should be a solid addition to the locker room.  His skating is his biggest asset and his defensive awareness is solid, but he won’t be counted on by the Canucks who boast a deep defense corps.

All in all, the Canucks have done well to shore up the team’s defensive depth.  Clearly GM Mike Gillis figured he could not count on Sami Salo to play a whole season and saw the opportunity to create team competition for defensive playing time, as well as an ability to get younger (Ehrhoff) and more skilled (Ehrhoff and Schneider) on the back-end.  Obviously helping the team’s middle-of-the-road power play (17th in the NHL) was a factor too.

Give Gillis a thumbs-up for these moves; however, something tells me the move for Schneider will be more significant than the move for Ehrhoff and Lukowich.

If all of this is true, Kane has embarassed himself, and frankly, he’s embarassed me as someone who follows hockey and, naively perhaps, believes NHL players are generally better than stunts like this and some of the nonsense we see in other sports.

These are serious charges, and I don’t think they’ll just go away. Nor should they.

I wholeheartedly agree with James.  This situation is absurd.  The fact that he and his cousin allegedly assaulted an older man over the small dollar amount of twenty cents is not for believing.  That amount of money is nothing for you and I, and it is even less significant for someone like Kane who makes upwards of a couple million dollars a season. 

This allegation smacks of Kane believing himself to be above the law.  I know some wild 20 or 21 year olds, but they don’t go around beating up older cabdrivers over twenty cents.  Never mind the fact that he should have tipped the cabdriver the $1.20 to begin with.  Or the fact that he represents the Chicago Blackhawks, EA Sports (as the coverboy of NHL 2010), Team USA and the City of Buffalo.

Kane has a responsibility to all these organizations and the City of Buffalo to represent himself the right way.  It is not asking too much. 

Also, I don’t care if he was drunk.  Just because someone is drunk doesn’t mean they have more room to go around beating down allegedly innocent cabbies.

Something is missing here.  Either we are not getting the full story, or Patrick Kane lacks a distinct sense of reality.

Teams That Will Not Touch Zherdev

• New York Rangers:  For obvious reasons.
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Aside from the fact the team has already said as much, is Nikolai Zherdev a Brian Burke-type player?  No chance.
• Anaheim Ducks: I can’t see Bob Murray making a play for Zherdev.  Plus, the Ducks have cemented their top-six (Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Selanne, Koivu and Lupul).
• Phoenix Coyotes: Ummm, they don’t even have an owner.
• Calgary Flames: No cap room.  Although Brent Sutter and Nikolai Zherdev would be a fun dynamic to observe for an entire season.
• Chicago Blackhawks: No cap room.
• Ottawa Senators: Currently over the salary cap.
• Philadelphia Flyers: No cap space.  Plus, Paul Holmgren and Nikolai Zherdev aren’t exactly made for each other.
• Columbus Blue Jackets: Been there, done that.
• Boston Bruins: No cap room.  Never mind the team still needs to sign Phil Kessel.

Unlikely Landing Spots

• New York Islanders:  With a young club that has no real expectations of winning/making the playoffs, there is little chance they make a play for Zherdev.
• Minnesota Wild: Providing a rookie head coach with a troublesome player like Zherdev is never a good idea.
• San Jose Sharks: Aside from the fact that the Sharks do not have a lot of cap space, they also don’t need another player without a playoff pedigree.
• New Jersey Devils: Lots of cap space but his allergy to defense would not click with returning coach Jacques Lemaire.
• Colorado Avalanche: This team is in full rebuilding mode and I don’t seem them making a play for a player like Zherdev with that in mind.
• Florida Panthers: The Panthers have lots of cap space but I don’t see a fit there among the team’s young forward core. 
• St. Louis Blues: So much young talent here, they don’t need him.  Even if they did, I don’t think he’s a JD-type player.
• Los Angeles Kings: Young team with a pretty established top-six that has not seemed interested in adding this type of player.
• Buffalo Sabres: This team isn’t in need of young offensive players with talent, they need defensemen.
• Dallas Stars: Marc Crawford is an offensive coach, but I don’t see Joe Nieuwendyk starting off his tenure as a GM with an addition like this.
• Tampa Bay Lightning: This team has expressed interest in Alex Tanguay and he seems to be their number one priority right now.
• Vancouver Canucks: Looking to add depth on defense, not up front.
• Montreal Canadiens:  They have enough passive, skilled players on this team.
• Carolina Hurricanes: Jim Rutherford has basically said his team is set for next season and they don’t have a need at forward for scoring.

Most Likely Landing Spots

• Edmonton Oilers: They’d probably prefer a center, but Zherdev still would provide instant offense. 
• Nashville Predators:  Let’s be honest, this team had a terrible time scoring goals last season.  After Sullivan, Arnott and Dumont, the scoring dried up quite quickly.  While he may remind the Nashville players of Radulov, he can score and only costs them money.  I’m sure it’s something they’ve considered.
• Atlanta Thrashers: Not sure if Atlanta would be willing to spend more money, but Zherdev could play in an offensive system for coach John Anderson and play on the same team as Ilya Kovalchuk.

Where Zherdev Could Land a One-Year Deal

• Detroit Red Wings:  Mike Babcock is a tough coach to play for and Zherdev wouldn’t exactly fit his mould; however, if he wanted to win and play with some talented offensive players, he could have an option in Detroit.
• Washington Capitals: He could play on a team with Alexander Semin and Alexander Ovechkin, in a highly offensive system.  The Capitals don’t have a lot of money but if he’s willing to play on a cheap one-year deal to re-establish his value, he’d fit in quite well.
• Pittsburgh Penguins: If he wanted to take a small deal for one-year to play beside Malkin, the structure is there to make it happen.

All pictures were provided by the Hockey Hall of Fame and the trophy descriptions come from NHL.com.

IC contributor’s Ezzy and Kyle have added their picks and thoughts as to who they think will win tonight.

Hart Memorial Trophy:  

The Hart Memorial Trophy was presented by the National Hockey League in 1960 after the original Hart Trophy was retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The original Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by Dr. David A. Hart, father of Cecil Hart, former manager-coach of the Montreal Canadiens

The trophy is presented to the most valuable player in the National Hockey League during the regular season.

Award Nominees:  Datsyuk(Det), Malkin(Pitt), Ovechkin (Wash).

David’s Winner:  Alexander Ovechkin.  Without Datsyuk and Malkin both those teams would have been worse but could have maintained.  Not so in Washington.
Ezra’s Winner:  Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin led the NHL in regular season scoring with 113 points (career-high) yet he is still considered an underdog to Alexander Ovechkin in this category heading into tonight’s NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas.  Despite a few weaknesses in his defensive game this season, Malkin’s offensive dominance (especially on the power play) was integral to Pittsburgh’s colossal
late-season turnaround.
Kyle’s Winner: Evgeni Malkin.

Update:

Calder Memorial Trophy: 

From 1936-37 until his death in 1943, Frank Calder, NHL President, bought a trophy each year to be given permanently to the outstanding rookie. After Calder’s death, the NHL presented the Calder Memorial Trophy in his memory and the trophy is to be kept in perpetuity.

It is awarded to the National Hockey League player judged to be the most proficient in his first season.

Award Nominees: Ryan (Ana), Mason (CbJ), Versteeg (Chi).

David’s Winner:  Steve Mason.  What he did on an average Columbus team is quite impressive.
Ezra’s Winner: Steve Mason.  It was unfortunate that the Blue Jackets were bounced so quickly by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2009 Playoffs, because it seemed like nothing could go wrong for Steve Mason in 2009. Or rather, everything seemed to go right for Steve Mason in 2009.  What did he do and why should he win this trophy? He led the Blue Jackets to their first ever playoff appearance at the tender age of 20, he finished first in the NHL in shutouts (10), was second in save percentage (.916) and was consistent every night on a pretty medicore team. That’s why.
Kyle’s Winner: Steve Mason.

Update:  Steve Mason wins.  All 3 IC contributors were correct.

James Norris Memorial Trophy:

The trophy is named in honour of James E. Norris, owner of the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings from 1932 to 1952.

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.

Award Nominees: Chara (Bos), Green (Wash), Lidstrom (Det).

David’s Winner: Mike Green.  Finished with 73 points and a +24. 
Ezra’s Winner:  Mike Green.  Green’s numbers this past regular season (31 goals, 42 assists, 73 points) resemble those of a first-line forward more so than a defenseman.  Regardless, in becoming only the eighth defenseman in NHL history to score 30 or more goals in a season, he has reinvented the position and should get recognized with his first piece of major hardware Thursday night.
Kyle’s Winner: Zdeno Chara.

Vezina Trophy:

The trophy is named in memory of in memory of Georges Vezina, an outstanding goalkeeper of the Canadiens, who collapsed during an NHL game Nov. 28, 1925, and died of tuberculosis a few months later.

It is given to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position as voted by the general managers of all NHL clubs.

Award Nominees: Backstrom (Minn), Mason (CBJ), Thomas (Bos).

David’s Winner: Tim Thomas.  Had the best save % of the 3 and the lowest GAA.  Helped turn around a Bruins team that finished 8th the season previous.
Ezra’s Winner:  Tim Thomas.  Thomas’ Europe-to-North America story has been well documented and his emergence as a world class Number-1 NHL goaltender has CBC movie written all over it. Thomas led the Killer B’s to a first-place finish in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and finished the season with absolutely tantalizing numbers (36 wins, 2.10 GAA, .933 Save Percentage, Thanks Wikipedia!). Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets will get some votes, but the 2008’09 crease belonged to Timmy Thomas.
Kyle’s Winner: Tim Thomas.

Jack Adams Award: 

The award was presented by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association in 1974 to commemorate the late Jack Adams, former coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. His lifetime dedication to hockey has served as an inspiration to all who aspire to further the game.

It is given to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.

Award Nominees:  Julien (Bos), McLellan (SanJ), Murray (St.L).

David’s Winner: Claude Julien.  This is a tough one.  I could have easily said Murray for his turn around of the Blues but I think that Claude Julien did the best job over the course of the entire season.
Ezra’s Winner:  Andy Murray.  I’ve said many times on The IllegalCurve.com Radio Show that Murray should win the Jack Adams trophy so I believe my prediction speaks for itself here.
Kyle’s Winner:  Claude Julien.

Frank J. Selke Trophy: 

It was named after Frank J. Selke, former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The Selke Trophy was the fifth and last of the major NHL awards to be introduced that have been named after General Managers and owners of the Original Six teams

It is an annual award given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

Award Nominees: Datsyuk (Det), Kesler (Van), Richards (Phi).

David’s Winner: Pavel Datsyuk.  I saw him 4 times this year and he is magic in Detroit’s end.  He finished 2nd in takeaways (89), had a +34 rating, and was fourth (97 points) in league scoring.
Ezra’s Winner:  Mike Richards.  The pride of Kenora, Ontario carries the tough-as-nails torch in Philly on his own now and leads by example on the ice with his impeccable defensive awareness. Richards is quite simply the best young two-way player in the game. His seven shorthanded goals this season really stand out.
Kyle’s Winner:  Ryan Kesler.

Update:  Pavel Datsyuk wins. 

Lady Byng Trophy: 

Lady Byng was the wife of Canada’s Governor-General.  After Lady Byng’s death in 1949, the National Hockey League presented a new trophy, changing the name to Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

It is an annual award given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.

Award Nominees: Datsyuk (Det), Parise (NJD), St. Louis (TB).

David’s Winner:  Martin St. Louis.  This trophy has been owned by Datsyuk for the past 3 seasons but I think St. Louis who had a measley 14 minutes in penalties in 82 games will win this year.  Extra bonus for him if he does win as it is his 34th birthday today.
Ezra’s Winner:  Zach Parise.  Parise is a huge undedog to Pavel Datsyuk here but I still feel he deserves the trophy. Parise is one of the classiest guys in the NHL and plays a clean, physical game. He might not be the shutdown forward that Datsyuk is at this stage of his career, but Parise is nonethless a gentleman and a scholar.
Kyle’s Winner:  Pavel Datsyuk.

Update:  Pavel Datsyuk takes it home….again. 

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: 

The trophy was presented by the NHL Writers’ Association in 1968 to commemorate the late William Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars, who exhibited, to a high degree, the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after an injury sustained during a hockey game.

It is an annual award under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association and is given to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Award Nominees: Chelios (Det), Sullivan (Nash), Zednik (Fla).

David’s Winner:  Richard Zednik.  This is a tough selection because I could go with either Sullivan or Zednik.  Both have come back and made imporant impacts on their respective teams.
Ezra’s Winner:  Steve Sullivan.  Sullivan will be in tough against Richard Zednik in this category but he should win because of the simple fact that he posted solid regular season numbers (32 points in 41 games) after missing 142 straight regular season games. Sullivan is a natural born leader who is unselfish both on and off the ice. He scores at close to a point-a-game clip too which doesn’t hurt either.
Kyle’s Winner: Richard Zednik.

Lester B. Pearson Award:

The award was first handed out at the conclusion of the 1971–72 NHL season. It is named in honour of Lester B. Pearson, who was Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize, and a former player and coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s ice hockey team.

The award is presented annually to the “most outstanding player” in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

Award Nominees:  Datsyuk(Det), Malkin(Pitt), Ovechkin (Wash).

Art Ross Award: 

Although Art Ross is primarily remembered as an executive with the Boston Bruins hockey club, he is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame not as a builder, but as a player.

Pittsburgh star Evgeni Malkin will receive the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL scoring champion.

Maurice Richard Trophy:   

The Rocket Richard Trophy was donated by the Montreal Canadiens hockey club in 1999 to honour their outstanding star and ambassador, Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will be presented with this trophy as top goal scorer in the NHL. 

William Jennings Trophy: 

This trophy was presented in 1981-82 by the NHL Board of Governors to honour the late William M. Jennings, longtime governor and president of the New York Rangers and one of the key builders of hockey in the U.S.

Boston Bruins’ tandem of Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez will accept the trophy as the goaltenders for the club finishing the season having surrendered the fewest goals.

Seeing these pictures reminded me of collecting hockey cards back in the late 1980′s.  I even dug through the storage to find my old 1988 Esso All-Star collection booklet. (if anyone has a spare Larry Robinson from page 18, I would appreciate it).

And I found the insert which spurred this article in the first place.

I’ve never been a guy who was big on change.  I’m also not for forgetting your history.  The people who these trophies are named after were integral players in the early development of the game that we all love.  I for one, am not for forgetting your history.

I remember a lady who sat a few rows down from our season tickets to the Winnipeg Jets (Section 29, Row 4, Seats 1 & 2) who used to hold up and swing for the entire game a Referee doll hanging from a noose and to me that is quite emblematic of the sentiment most fans feel for referees in the NHL.

Now I’m sure fans of both teams feel that the team they support is currently on the losing end of the calls by the referees and could provide many examples of same.  The most recent incident occurred during Game 3, with the Wings up 2-1, when the 4 team crew of referee’s Paul Devorski/Dennis LaRue and linesman Derek Amell/Pierre Racicot missed a 6th Penguin, who was on the ice for 21 seconds.   The outrage from Wings fans was quite intense as Mark Eaton skated between two officials on his way back to the bench.

One Red Wings fan’s response: “I nearly broke into the zoo and punched every zebra in sight!”. 

And its not just the fans who get outtraged as Darren Dreger of TSN has reported the Wings feelings about the non-call:

There are a lot of allegations coming out of the Detroit Red Wings dressing room regarding the ‘too many men non-call’ against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3. Allegations to the point that there are suggestions Dennis LaRue, who was one of the two veteran referees on the ice, was allegedly yelling at the Penguins players to get off. 

And as with anything, conspiracy theorists began to claim that the NHL had somehow co-ordinated this, so the Penguins would have a good chance of winning Lord Stanley’s Cup and Sidney Crosby would become an even bigger NHL marketing tool.  Do I think this is the case?  No, not at all, but let us look at the numbers throughout the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs to determine if there is any merit to this argument.

In each round of the playoffs, so far, it appears that the Penguins have fared well in terms of calls against:

This discrepancy seems quite large but in reality Philadelphia was the most penalized team (#30) during the regular season whereas Pittsburgh was in the middle (#13). 

During the regular season Washington was more disciplined than Pittsburgh, finishing 7th overall.  The game that stands out in terms of calls was Game 7 in which Pittsburgh received no penalties and the Capitals had 4, 2 of which Pittsburgh scored during, on way to a 6-2 victory.

Perhaps the most surprising numbers come from this series since the Hurricanes were the least penalized team (#1) during the regular season and averaged just 9.8 PIM/g.

So is it fair to suggest that the Penguins are getting help from the referees or is it that when your team suddenly starts losing, you begin grasping at straws to explain how your team has suddenly proven that they are mortal. 

Now when NHL referee Kelly Sutherland was interviewed by ESPN he said:

Before each game, we study lineups and history to see if there was a fight or a big hit in the last meeting. And when a guy like Sidney Crosby is playing, the other team will do just about anything to stop him. He doesn’t get preferential treatment, but it is something we have to be aware of.

So is it crazy to think that the Penguins are getting preferential treatment or are the officials just being vigilant knowing that if they weren’t, the clutching and grabbing superstars like Crosby, Malkin, Datsyuk and Hossa would be subjected to, would ruin the flow of the game.

And lest you think that conspiracy theories are limited to hockey fans, even the team’s respective newspapers are getting involved. 

From Puckdaddy

The fact of the matter is that people need to understand that referees make mistakes. They are only human and sometimes have bad games.  Throughout a series it generally evens out.  And sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, the only thing a team can do is play better than the team they face. 

So should we subscribe to a worldview that would suggest that somehow the league is trying to exert control via the referees to influence series?  I’m not sure I’m ready to start drinking that Kool-aid just yet.

As always, sound off in the comments section.

Which brings us to last night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes.  As I watched the game one couldn’t help but notice the Carolina Hurricanes Storm Squad. (the camera panned to them every opportunity it got)

So as the Penguins proceeded to blow out the Hurricanes I began to wonder what it takes to become a cheerleader in the NHL?  Is it easy or difficult?  Do they need to have an intensive Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader “Making the Team” type show?  And what exactly do they do once they’ve attained the job?

Luckily I stumbled across the Atlanta Thrashers web site and they are currently holding tryouts for the 2009-2010 Blue Crew.

So what does it take to become a member of the Atlanta Thrashers Blue Crew?  As far as I can tell there are four requirements for the job, namely;

1) Must be at least 19 years of age prior to auditioning;
2) Must be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D.;
3) Must have a part-time, full-time job, or be a college student;
4) Must have $25 for the registration fee.

That seems pretty straightforward.  Once you qualify, the next round of selection begins with two weeks of interviews, workouts and evaluations.

Wednesday, May 13th – Orientation/Registration/Ice Time – 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 14th – Business Interviews – 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 14th – Fitness Evaluation – 4:00-9:30 p.m. (Three groups)
Friday, May 15th – Business Interview – 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Friday, May 15th – Media/Rules & Regulations/Uniform Try-on – 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 16th – Improv Session – 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 17th – Skate Drills – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Friday, May 22nd – Announce Team Online
Wednesday, May 27th – First Official Team Meeting (Mandatory) 6:00-9:00 p.m.

And lest you think this is a walk in the park, it appears the testing is actually quite rigorous.

Once the group is narrowed further the selection committee designates the new Blue Crew squad whose responsibilities include cleaning the ice surface during stoppages in play and between periods, assisting with in-game promotions and interacting with the crowd to improve the in-game experience for Thrashers fans.

And lest you think that it’s just Atlanta and Carolina that have Cheerleading squads, you would be quite wrong as this trend has spread throughout the NHL.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Florida Panthers

New York Islanders

Chicago Blackhawks

So what do you think of this Southern tradition?  Good or bad for hockey?  Sound off in the comments section below.

Now we might not ever know if this statement is accurate or not but perhaps by looking at some of the other non-traditional markets that have made deep playoff runs we might gain some insight into what could have been in Phoenix.

We will look at the years following a team’s run to the Stanley Cup (regardless if they won or lost) to see if the post season success translated into attendance numbers in the years following.

In 1996 the Florida Panthers, 3 years removed from expansion, made an unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Finals which they eventually lost to the Colorado Avalanche. 

So the numbers for the 1996 Florida Panthers break down as follows:

The Florida Panthers did see an immediate increase in fan attendance following the success of the 96′ team.  This is significant as the team did not make the any noise in the years following their Cup run.  They were knocked out in the first round of the 1997 playoffs and failed to qualify both in 1998 and 1999.  Perhaps part of the reason for the fan attendance in 1999 and the main reason for the big attendance numbers was the arrival of the Russian Rocket, Pavel Bure, who was perhaps one of the most exciting players to ever play the game.

Moving onto the next non-traditional market we have the 2002 Carolina Hurricanes who lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Cup Finals in 5 games.  In a similar occurrence as what happened in Florida, the Canes were unable to match the success of 2002 in the two years following the Cup run and failed to qualify for the playoffs in both 2003 and 2004 and the team felt it in the stands as fan interest declined big time.

The numbers for the 2002 Carolina Hurricanes break down as follows:

Interestingly the number of new fans was quite marginal following an improbable Stanley Cup run and even more surprising was the huge decline in 2004 that saw a 21.37% decrease in fan support.

Now the next non-traditional market to look at would be the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning however you would think that the lockout of 2005 would likely skew the numbers but it appears that fans in Tampa were not bothered by the stoppage.

The numbers for the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning break down as follows: 

The fans in Tampa love them some Lightning and continued to support the team following the lockout. 

We return to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 as they beat the Edmonton Oilers following the lockout to win the Stanley Cup.  The Canes had the best finish in franchise history (including during their time as the Hartford Whalers).  Now we know that generally the lockout had a negative impact on fan retention but how did it affect the Hurricanes?

The numbers for the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes break down as follows:

Not surprisingly there was a decent increase in the fan base after the Hurricanes captured the Stanley Cup and while this number decreased it wasn’t a significant decrease. 

So with these two Carolina examples (one in which the team won the Cup and one in which it didn’t) we see that simple success in the Playoffs(i.e. making the Cup Finals) didn’t translate into increased fan support whereas winning the Stanley Cup ensured an increase in fan support.

Our final group of non-traditional markets to look at would be in Southern California and the Ducks run to the Cup back in 2007. 

Looking at the Ducks numbers:

Ducks fans celebrate the Cup win.

So what can we see from these numbers?  We see that in the short term winning the Stanley Cup results in an increase in fan interest.  No real surprise.  Getting to the Cup finals will help but doesn’t ensure the same numbers as when you win.

So what does this mean?  As part of a discussion that I had with an Atlanta Thrashers fan a few months back, who felt that the Thrashers just needed some success in order for this to translate into fan attendance (similar to the argument being put forward for Phoenix), my question was why?  Obviously everyone loves to back a winner.  I mean who wants to support a team that loses year after year (I’m looking at you New York Islanders) but at the same time these new fans seem to me to be somewhat fair weather.  If the team does well, then they will support them, but if they don’t win it all, then the support just isn’t there.   Whatever happened to supporting a team simply because you are a hockey fan?

In the end a long playoff run would likely have helped the Coyotes gain some fan support but would it have been enough to overcome all the problems the franchise faced?   The numbers that have been reported don’t seem too far off from other franchises (Islanders, Thrashers, Predators and even the Avalanche).

While it appears that fans in Phoenix want to save the team I’m not sure a long playoff run would have been enough to overcome the obstacles this franchise is facing.  As NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly said back in 2008

The big-money guys, the corporate guys, don’t live in Glendale, if you live in Scottsdale, Glendale is not an easy place to get to. 

But the fans continue to show support despite these negatives.

So are you a fair weather fan?  A band wagon jumper?  Or am I being overly critical of those new fans who are just attracted to a team once they start winning?  Sound off in the comments section below.

*all NHL attendance figures provided by ESPN.

Taking Bettman’s claim about growing the game at face value and applying it to these same markets, you see that there is a better success story with the youth hockey market. Dallas, Phoenix, Florida and even Carolina all have thriving hockey programs for kids and all compete quite successfully on the US AAA hockey stage. The Dallas Stars AAA and PF Changs (Phoenix) AAA programs are both graduating many players into the college and junior hockey ranks, and the other teams likely aren’t far behind. While not widespread, there is certainly a grassroots affinity for hockey in these areas and good athletes are eschewing the traditional paths of football and basketball to play hockey.

That brings me to the point I am trying to make. If the NHL really does want to grow the game, why don’t they take the money they use propping up failing franchises and invest it in youth hockey. Exclusively in youth hockey. The AAA teams I mentioned are an American success story, with motivated parents raising funds and soliciting big name sponsors to allow their teams to travel all over the US, Canada and even Europe to compete in high level tournaments and in some cases even league play.  They are hiring qualified and motivated coaches, and the kids get the best instruction possible. However, these teams also have their monetary limits and not every kid can afford the sometimes steep fees that are associated with the programs. This is where the NHL steps in.

Since socialism is all the rage in the US these days, why not let these programs suckle from the government (NHL) teat for a while? If the multi-million dollar investment of team bailout money is too much for the league, perhaps they should consider giving the nearly $7 million dollars they handed out to USA Hockey a more even distribution (look out college kids, I am stealing your Marxist thunder) and invest in a more comprehensive hockey building program in the US. Since most of the aforementioned $7 million gets eaten up by the USNTDP and its sixty-odd kids on two teams, wouldn’t it make more sense to get that money to these various AAA (and other) programs where hundreds of kids could be helped?

Geographically speaking, most of the NTDP kids are from Michigan or Minnesota, two places that really don’t need help enticing kids to play hockey. Perhaps with the NHL money going to Florida, Arizona or Utah etc, a couple of their kids could graduate to the NHL, which would undoubtedly spur interest in youth hockey. Look at the effect Gretzky coming to Los Angelese had. Its not out of the question to think this could happen elsewhere.

Is it reasonable to counter that the NHL propping up the failing franchises basically has the same effect as investing in youth hockey? Are the kids in these regions driven to hockey because they are watching the ‘Canes, Coytoes or Panthers? Perhaps some are, but there is no substitute for playing the game. Its just too easy to flip past the game on tv to find a more recognizable game than it is to stop on Versus and investigate. But, you get that same kid on skates and chances are they will get hooked. Plus, its not like kids growing up in Saskatchewan, the Maritimes or Toronto need to be close to an NHL team to get interested in hockey. Likewise, kids in Phoenix or South Florida would survive and continue to play if their NHL teams left town. If Gary Bettman and the league administration wants a good way to capture some positive PR and to leave a valuable legacy, an increased investment in American youth hockey is the way to go.

In all honesty, I was prepared to move on from this topic. I really was. I was expecting that there is no way they could screw up the scheduling of the Conference Finals, especially as there are only two series occurring, and they can simply play them on opposite nights. Game 1 followed by game 2, with one day in between games. Sounds simple enough, and then this is what the NHL schedule makers came up with for the Conference Finals:

Game              Date                                       Matchup/Result

1                      Sunday, May 17, 2:30pm et                  Blackhawks at Red Wings

1                      Monday, May 18, 7pm et                     Hurricanes at Penguins

2                      Tuesday, May 19, 7pm et                     Blackhawks at Red Wings

2                      Thursday, May 21, 7pm et                    Hurricanes at Penguins

3                      Friday, May 22, 8pm et                        Red Wings at Blackhawks

3                      Saturday, May 23, 7:30pm et               Penguins at Hurricanes

4                      Sunday, May 24, 3pm et                      Red Wings at Blackhawks

4                      Tuesday, May 26, 7:30pm et                Penguins at Hurricanes

*5                    Wednesday, May 27, 7:30pm et           Blackhawks at Red Wings

5                      Friday, May 29, 7:30pm et                   Hurricanes at Penguins

*6                    Saturday, May 30, 8pm et                    Red Wings at Blackhawks

6                      Sunday, May 31, 7:30pm et                  Penguins at Hurricanes

*7                    Monday, June 1, 7:30pm et                  Blackhawks at Red Wings

7                      Tuesday, June 2, 7:30pm et                  Hurricanes at Penguins

When I saw this schedule unveiled, my eyes went cross-eyed, my tongue got tied, and I went even woozier than I normally am. From what I understood, the NHL’s logic in their early round scheduling, and their willingness to overlap games, is that lengthy breaks between games is anathema to the NHL playoffs, as the “warrior” aspect of the playoffs is what entices fans the most. I don’t necessarily disagree with that in principle, but given that TV exposure is the ticket to success it’s a passe policy that needs to go the way of the do-do bird.

Consider my surprise then, when abruptly, randomly, and nonsensically they abandon this policy come the Conference finals. Someone explain to me, why Detroit who took seven full games to defeat Anaheim deserves 2 full days off? In a logical world, in which I think I live, shouldn’t that series start on Saturday night, a night which is synonymous with hockey, much like the NFL and Sunday? This way, the Blackhawks get their rightful advantage for having finished off their opponent quicker, and hockey fans get to watch hockey on the night they most expect to.

Moving along the path of incompetence (I feel like Dorothy, following the yellow brick road–or that awful Price is Right game of the same name), someone explain to me, please, why the Hurricanes and Penguins need two full days off between games one and two? Game one is Monday night, and game three isn’t until Thursday night. That means, for those of you following along at home, the NHL is going dark on Wednesday night. I repeat, there will be no playoff games on Wednesday night of next week. Who do they think they are? Broadway, with going dark on Monday nights? It’s mind boggling. Talk about killing off all of your momentum, and I for one, am curious as to the logic behind it, because certainly it isn’t a travel issue because they aren’t even leaving Pittsburgh!

Stupefyingly enough, the same thing happens twice more in this playoff round as there isn’t a game on Monday May 25 (due to the Penguins and Hurricanes getting an extra day off) and on Thursday May 28 when the Penguins and Hurricanes get yet another extra day off between games.  Honestly, please, someone tell me why the Penguins and Hurricanes who have been killing themselves for the past two playoff rounds playing every second night, all of a sudden get two full days off between games 3 and 4 and games 4 and 5?

Under no circumstances should the NHL be granting extra days off between games if it means that no playoff games will be played on those nights. The players expect to play every second night, especially in the playoffs. Does the rest undoubtedly do them some good? Of course. Who wanted extra rest after close to 100 regular season and playoff games? However, you cannot, under any circumstances, lose the momentum that playoffs create when fans expect you to be on the air every single night showcasing the best your sport has to offer. I suppose, if one needed to look for a silver lining, they could find solace in the fact that at least none of the games are scheduled for the same time. God bless the NHL schedule makers.

For Illegal Curve, I am Drew Mindell

Agree? Disagree? We would love to hear from you–Leave your comments below.

For years, Duhatschek was one of the main contributors on the Satellite Hot Stove.  He obviously has many good contacts in and around the NHL, but more so, he understands the game of hockey itself.  Therefore, he not only provides the viewer/reader with information he’s gathered from around the league, but also put this information into proper context using his opinion and hockey knowledge. 

More simply, Duhatschek is arguably the most informed hockey writer in Canada and should be on the CBC’s insider session every week. 

Now, I like LeBrun; in fact, I think his contributions to the show are very valuable.  He has climbed the ladder to become one of the most well-respected hockey writers in North America.  Moreover, while he breaks numerous stories you do get the impression he doesn’t do anything to rock the boat.  Instead, he feels it is his duty to get the news across to the viewer/reader and let them determine how valuable that information is.

In terms of Strachan, I generally think his sarcasm is humorous, and I don’t doubt his hockey knowledge. He just gets stubborn at certain times and sometimes lets his opinion cloud the facts.  For example, Strachan has gone on and on about how the NHL would rather expand/move to the United States or Europe before Canada.  If so, where are the facts?  Is there any reason to believe that this is true?  Would the NHLPA even allow for teams to be located in Europe–which would increase travel ten-fold? 

Another example of this, is Strachan’s claims that NHL fans don’t want to go watch Canadian teams.  He says they just don’t draw like American teams do.  Okay, but where are the numbers to back that up?  Can that be substantiated?  Even so, what if Sidney Crosby played in Ottawa?  Would fans not want to pay to see him because he is wearing a Senators sweater as opposed to say a Ducks sweater? 

As for Milbury, I understand what CBC is trying to do.  They are trying to place a former GM, and an opinionated one at that, on the stage to provide insight but also provide an alternate perspective and form of thinking.  While this desire is admirable, I just don’t think it works.  Milbury is solid on television, don’t get me wrong.  I just don’t think his role should be as part of the Hot Stove.  For the most part, he isn’t providing insider information, he is just providing his opinion on the stories being reported–or jousting with Strachan. 

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a column asking for Strachan and Milbury to be fired.  This is just a plea for Duhatschek to get a regular spot in Toronto’s CBC studios.  

Overall, the Satellite Hot Stove is a great concept.  One that many of the people I know watch just as much as they watch Coach’s Corner.  It really is a hardcore hockey fans dream for 7-10 minutes.  So, why not provide the viewer with the most informed hockey writers in the business?  If you don’t, you devalue a product that carries so much potential.

Having watched the sticks intently for about a year now, I feel its safe to say that the harm outweighs the good in regards to composite sticks. We have all undoubtedly seen a lost scoring opportunity or a lost faceoff resulting from a composite stick breaking in half and it seems like nearly a third of all the penalty kills I have seen this year have featured one defending player skating around sans stick, as the two forlorn pieces lay discarded in a corner. I realize that the composite stick, in theory, offers a harder shot for the players but still wonder is how many guys in the NHL (or other leagues) actually make adequate use of this technology?

Alex Ovechkin’s display of shooting artistry in Game 2 of the Caps-Pens series would be the most recent example of a player who really gets everything from his composite. The wrister that he used to beat Fleury for the game winner was amazing, a combination of pure shooting power and state of the art stick technology. Now juxtapose Ovechkin’s three goals with Crosby’s, and you will see three goals that could have been scored with a floor hockey stick. To me, the goals Sidney scored were far more indicative of the majority of goals you see in today’s NHL.

With big, mobile and talented goaltenders and defensive systems that are designed to collapse to the front of the net, no more than a handful or today’s shooters have the talent or velocity to score from the perimeter. Its my contention that while the extra zip a composite supplies may add the odd goal, the number of goals lost through breakage etc. basically makes this a zero sum game.

Before you rush in to disagree, consider that at least one high profile (junior) league has considered making the move back to wood. High level discussions resulted in a variety of ideas being brought forward, but ultimately no vote held on the matter. Owners and league officials were very in favour of the switch, while coaches were on the fence. Most of these guys thought that while the potential benefits of a composite stick are basically untapped with their still growing junior players, they were still worried that a ban on the sticks might persuade some players to go elsewhere. In the highly competitive world of junior hockey, that is a very big deal.

A compromise solution was put forward that would allow the use of the sticks, but only if they player himself supplied them. While that idea was unworkable and shifts the burden to kids and parents, it is still noteworthy in that this movement may still gain some momentum in an age when budgets are tight and revenue is tough to come by. Reducing a stick budget by even $100,000 can mean a team makes rather than loses money.

Do you readers think its possible a team could lose a player over the stick they are forced to use? Is it that big of a deal? Should the players get everything they want, despite the costs to the team? I always wanted revolving three-ways featuring the Spice Girls (Ginger and Sporty, Posh and Mel B.) but realize that I couldn’t afford it long-term. As someone who has used both types of sticks, I believe that you get a better feel from the wood stick. For a playmaker, wouldn’t this be more valuable to you? As a defenseman, wouldn’t you rather have a more durable wood stick in your own zone or while killing a penalty? Wood sticks may go soft (thats what she said) but at least it can still be used to intercept or disrupt passes or shots, and likely to clear a puck.

So what is the solution here? Its obviously dressing room suicide to give composites to only a few guys, so does that mean its all or nothing?  What about incentives to players to try the sticks again? I bet a fair number of younger NHL’ers haven’t played with anything but composites since their formative years and they just might be surprised at what they had to offer. Or perhaps the move back could be incremental with a coach instituting a wood sticks only rule on the penalty kill, where a broken stick can mean disaster, especially in the playoffs.

While all of this is extremely speculative, one wonders if stick manufacturers even have an interest in making wood sticks anymore. I believe Sher-Wood has either phased out or will phase out its wood sticks, while other manufacturers I have spoken to feel that the margins available on the composites (Made for about $20, sold for about $200) is just too lucrative.

Even if the NHL does not pursue this goal, it would still be nice to see a league like the AHL, the ECHL or even a junior league take some iniative and play a year without the sticks, just to accurately measure the pros and cons. In doing so, it might take the heat off the parents of minor hockey players, who also are forced to shell out big dollars so their kids can use the same sticks as the pros. In reality, these are the people I feel bad for, because there is absolutely no way any kid has enough force to properly use a composite stick. Additionally, I also feel these kids are losing their puck handling ability due to the skill and extra attention it takes to keep a puck on these composites.

I really want to hear reader’s takes on this issue. Does anyone even care? Do the potentially harder shots out-weigh the constant breakage at seemingly the worst possible times? What about the costs to the teams? Should kids use them? Do you agree with the European countries that have banned the sticks for U-16′s? Lets have a good discussion about this.

With the NHL Conference Semifinals in full swing we should be focussing on the intense battle between Sid the Kid and Alex the Great but instead we are drawn to the three ring circus which is surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes.

Now a significant amount of material has been written about this issue in the past 48 hours.  We have heard a variety of reports and the chronology of events began with a major announcement stating that Canadian Billionaire Jim Balsillie made an offer to buy the Coyotes and move them to Southern Ontario, which was countered by a statement from Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and then we were informed that Jerry Reinsdorf was close to purchasing the Coyotes, at which time NHL commissioner Gary Bettman chimes in that he was skeptical that Balsillie’s offer would be accepted, then finally the CBC tells us that they would be happy to have a 7th Canadian team and finally last evening concluded with the IC Radio Show where Rich and Drew discussed the situation with bankruptcy attorney Richard Farroh.

Wow.  And to think that all most fans wanted to do last night was enjoy the Penguins/Capitals and Bruins/Hurricanes Game 3′s. 

Unfortunately these events seemed remarkably similar to a painful time from years past.  Picture it, Sicily 1912, oh wait, sorry I meant the year was 1995 and the Save the Jets campaign was in full swing.  I remember being part of the “Sea of White” as we shut down Portage and Main in our youthful exuberance thinking that a grassroots effort could somehow stem the tide and help to keep the Jets in Winnipeg.  The campaign continued onto the Forks where we were regaled by the singing of Jennifer Hanson (who usually sang the national anthem at the Winnipeg Arena) and the dancing styles of Dancing Gabe.

Of course, as everyone knows, the Jets left Winnipeg for the desert and the bitterness set in.  The city of Winnipeg received the IHL’s Minnesota Moose (Notable for being featured in Disney’s Mighty Ducks movie) which were renamed the Manitoba Moose as some sort of consolation prize and we lost an integral part of the city’s sports identity.  (Editor’s Note: The Moose skated to a 3-2 victory last night which ensured a sweep of the Grand Rapids Griffon’s putting themselves into the 3rd round and they are Winnipeg’s best chance at a hockey championship since the halcyon days of the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets back in the late 70′s).

But the concept that we had now become a farm team city left many bitter and as most people do when grieving you go through various stages, one of which is anger.  I must admit that I took a certain amount of glee year after year as I watched the Coyotes continue the Jets playoff futility.  In fact the one truth that I clung to (and even to a certain extent a small part of me still clings to) was the fact that the Coyotes have never won the Stanley Cup despite Eddie O’s promise to “bring it back to Winnipeg” if the Coyotes ever won the Cup.  (Happens at 9:35 of the video below).

If you look at the other franchises that moved around that time, everyone has won the Stanley Cup (Minnesota North Stars left in 1993 and Dallas won in 1999, Quebec Nordiques left in 1995 and the Colorado Avalanche won in 1996 and 2001, Hartford Whalers left in 1997 and the Carolina Hurricanes won in 2006).  In fact if you go back to 1967, every team that has been relocated has won a Stanley Cup (Atlanta Flames left in 1980 to become the Calgary Flames who won in 1989 and when the Rockies left Colorado in 1982 to became the New Jersey Devils the folks in Denver had to deal with a team that went on to win in 1995, 2000 and 2003).

Eventually though I became a bit more pragmatic and realized that I stood to gain nothing by hating the Coyotes.  It isn’t the City of Phoenix’s fault that the Jets left so why should we wish them ill?  Do I think hockey in the desert is a great idea, not really, but I can empathize with Coyotes fans who don’t want to lose their team.

As I stated earlier it is somewhat eerie the parallels between what went on in Winnipeg back in 1995 and what is happening today in Phoenix.

From Five for Howling:

So What do we do now? We show our support for our team in any possible way we can:

Post here! –  Come by this blog and post a FanPost or FanShot about how you feel about hockey, and the Coyotes. We become a harder target when others know we’re out there. Or just drop in some comments if you don’t have a lot to say. But say something! Anything! Let the world know we’re here.

Heck, Start your own blog! – Yeah, they’re saying that this could be resolved in 8 weeks, but you’d have a lot to talk about for those weeks wouldn’t you?

Wear your Coyotes gear around town – We’ve got naysayers in our own city. Show your pride in our NHL team and make sure people know you’re not just a hockey fan, but a COYOTE fan.

Get Involved! – Over the next few days you’ll start seeing websites to counter some of the ones already in motion in Canada. Stop by and join them. I’m also in talks with people that want to start rallies, protests, or whatever you want to call it to show that we want this team here. If nothing else we can get more attention payed to this issue and that there are real, knowledgeable fans here in the Valley. We’re not all transplants, or people that go when our “A team” is in town. We’re always here.

Defend Yourself! – There are times to stand on the sidelines and wait for an opportunity for reasoned, rational debate. Quite frankly, we don’t have the time for that. Pick up your keyboard, your telephone, you telegraph, whatever and fight back! Tell people that we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore! Call the Coyotes’ front office. See if there’s anyone there that will talk. They talk to me and I’m just a small time blogger. Call the paper, call the radio shows. Don’t let the bashers be the only voice.

Take time and breathe – This isn’t easy. That’s why I didn’t respond until I could pull myself together. This is a trying time to be a Coyotes fan. A great many of the fans here are of the Uberdedicated variety. You’ll do everything and be everywhere. But take a break. Turn off the playoffs. Get away from the news and take a break every now and then. You can only take so much punishment at once. Fight hard, but know when to take a rest.

I don’t know what else to say tonight. Get ready for the onslaught of articles from the East Coast morning papers and our Canadian friends. Don’t forget that nothing is final yet. No matter what we fight on until the team starts playing, or at least until June 30. Good Luck and Godspeed. Most of All, GO YOTES!

Now these words are remarkably similar to those that were expressed by Winnipeg fans back in 1995 so it’s interesting to see how this has franchise has come full circle.

I’ve been reading the message boards since this news has broke and it seems like the Coyote fans are doing everything they can to mobilize the troops and I wish them well.  It shows a certain amount of dedication to show support for an organization that doesn’t quite deserve same.  As Illegal Curve reader ladders11 posted on IC earlier today the Coyotes have been up against it for a number of years and the fact that they have any fans is impressive considering the laundry list of things they’ve dealt with, such as;

-playing in a converted basketball arena with obstructed-view seats
-allowing all popular talent to leave (Roenick, Tkachuk, Khabibulin)
-changing uniforms, colors, and logos
-relocating from downtown to a suburb
-missing playoffs almost 10 years running
-setting up a gambling ring behind the bench
-mis-managing scouting and player personnel

I wish that Winnipeg could regain its status as an NHL city, but this isn’t about Winnipeg.  Any team relocation plans don’t currently include Winnipeg and the conversation is focussed solely on moving this team to Southern Ontario.  So while I can understand the economic reasoning that many pundits are calling for the Coyotes to be moved to a more hockey-centric area such as Southern Ontario, once again little regard is shown to those die hard fans that would be left behind.  While I am sure that many of my fellow Pegger’s would not consider themselves fans of the Coyote’s organization, the loss of a team is a sentiment that we understand all too well and one which we may, ironically, now share with our brethren in Phoenix.

Perhaps I’ve grown soft and readers think its past due the Coyotes left the desert?  Do you view Balsillie as a modern day Moses leading his flock out of the desert and into the promised land?  Or should the Coyotes stay in Phoenix?  Sound off in the comments section.

Addressing the issue of cheering for a team based on its location, I feel that this is an attempt at misguided patriotism. I linked an article about this from Max Hockey the other day, and really can’t improve on what that piece said, which essentially was that anyone who cheers for a team just because they are Canadian etc. is really doing themselves a disservice. Every team has Canadian players on it, so why not cheer for them instead? Of the teams that made the dance, only Calgary was “led” by a Canadian (I don’t count Luongo, goalie captains, pfffft). In fact, all three Canadian teams have Europeans or Americans playing significant roles, much like basically every other team in the league. So, in reality, by hoping the Cup goes to a Canadian team, you really can’t get what you wish for as the Cup will spend a significant portion of the summer abroad anyways.

As you may have guessed, I am also against bangwagon jumping. I know its tough to be on the outside looking in, having been an Oiler fan since I was 5. The 80′s were good, but since I have been a teenager I always thought May and June were all about getting excited for the draft and watching the World Championships. Having been through so many lean years, you would think I would be eager to join a team for the run, a free-agent rental fan as it were. Well brother, you would be wrong. It seems the lack of playoff success has made my loyalty stronger. When the playoffs roll around and the Oilers head off to the worlds, I basically become a dispassionate watcher of the games, a UN observer if you will (minus the corruption, raping, pillaging, and anti-Semitism) who will sit down and follow a series or two without really caring about the outcome.

My opinion is that if you think hard enough, you should be able to find something to hate about every other team in the league. Canucks? Total douchebags led by two gingers. Flames? Dont get me started, I would rather cheer for the Taliban All-Stars. Red Wings? Hockeytown my ass. Ducks? Get Chris Pronger to close that gap in his teeth. You get the drill. I think that the fealty to your team should burn deep inside you and sustain you over the lean summer months. Cheering for anyone else is basically akin to heresy. Even cheering against a team means that by default you are hoping for someone else to win. It just doesn’t feel right to me.

So, I put this question to you dear fans: Who Would You Cheer For? Can you bring yourself to root, root, root for the home team? Do you watch The Best of DVD’s in the summer? Follow baseball? Break your ankles jumping on and off bandwagons? Lets hear about it.

Do those people who sit in the first row behind the glass and actively engage in ‘glass banging’ constitute a segment of the fan base who you would consider to be true fans who show their emotion by banging on the glass or are these people just a group of morons who think that banging on the glass with wild abandon somehow makes them a bigger part of the game?

Even the NHL and Verizon are somewhat to blame as they have encouraged this type of behaviour through TV advertisement.

This idea that fans can impact the game is not just limited to glass bangers as we recently saw in Washington when an unruly fan somehow got under the skin of John Tortarella.  (I couldn’t agree more with Gord Miller’s assessment at around the 40 second point of the video, when he asks what the fans would do if the glass was removed).

And of course who can forget the exchange between Tie Domi and a Flyer Fan in the penalty box.

Now these incidents might not have been the direct results of glass bangers but it rolls into that idea of the fans thinking they play a bigger role in the game then they really do.  So exactly how much of an impact do fans have during a game?

Is the concept that the crowd acts as the 6th man on the ice a fact or is it just one more cliché that hockey players repeat so fans can feel like they are a bigger part of the game then they really are?  While I have no doubt that player’s must get jazzed when they hear the crowds chant after a big hit, a nice goal or a brawl that goes the distance, do they really care when they see the fans banging on the glass?

Specifically, from the visiting team’s point of view, does it really affect them when they are involved in a scrum and they see some yahoo banging on the glass and swearing at them?  (As was said regarding the Tortarella video, how many glass bangers would be as aggressive if the glass was removed and the hockey player was in your face?).  I would have to imagine that it may amuse the player to see how worked up some people get, but I cannot imagine that it possibly gets into their heads to any great degree.

How many times does Sidney Crosby cruise into the corners when playing at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and worry about the glass banging Flyers fans?  My guess is never.  He is more likely to be worried about one of the big, hulking defenseman bearing down on him, ready to pulverize him into the boards.

Clearly there have been instances where the fans have been successful in ruffling the players feathers to the point that fisticuffs result but in almost all instances it would appear that the fans were worse off for it.  As they say (whose they?) if you play with the bull you might get the horns.

Kip Brennan of the AHL Hershey Bears while in the penalty box during a game in New Hampshire versus the Manchester Monarchs shows this fan what he thinks of his taunts.

And perhaps the most famous example was back in 1979 at Madison Square Garden, during a post-game fight, when a fan stole Stan Jonathan’s stick and hit him with it. Terry O’Reilly jumped over the glass boards to retrieve the stick and perhaps to show the fan a little “hockey justice”. The rest of the Bruins followed O’Reilly when other fans tried to interfere in perhaps the most memorable hockey fight of all time to involve players and fans.

Now perhaps if more glass bangers were to adopt the tactic of this Florida Panthers fan who instead of banging on the glass in some vain attempt to interact with the players, decided to expose herself (on live television).  Now that is glass banging I can get behind……..or in front of.

Alas most glass bangers do not have the good sense of this fine young lady and will continue to bang away in a futile attempt to have some sort of imagined impact on the game play.

I’ve always considered hockey fans to be different from other sports fans.  Are we now just one step removed from becoming a group of soccer hooligans?

Clearly that is extreme and I don’t think that hockey fans have descended to the level of soccer hooliganism but at what point does it become just a bit too much enthusiasm?

FSN Rocky Mountain reporter Alanna Rizzo was covering a North Dakota Fighting Sioux versus Denver University Pioneers college hockey game in North Dakota at Ralph Engelstad Arena and she felt that the North Dakota fans were over the top in terms of the glass banging at the DU bench.  She reported that “Pioneers assistant coach Derek Lalonde asked the referee to stop fans from banging against the glass on the DU bench”.  So were these fans being over-enthusiastic or were they simply attempting to get underneath the skin of the opposing team in an attempt to help out the home squad?

One final consideration when assessing the place of glass banging in today’s NHL is the price of the ticket.  I spoke with Steve from the Detroit Red Wings ticket sales department and the cost of a single ticket in the front row is about $150 US.  Do you really want to pay that kind of money to possibly get escorted out of the arena?  I looked up the Code of Conduct for a couple of NHL Arena’s (GM Place & MSG) and I can see that the action of glass banging could constitute a violation of the rules as set forth by these arena’s, namely; that guests shall avoid blocking the view of other guests and that no use of foul, threatening or abusive language or gestures will be tolerated in the arena.  While it might seem inconsequential the team does have the right to escort you from the building for these behaviours if they are deemed inappropriate.

So does glass banging have a place in the modern NHL or has its time passed, along with the wave and the use of the term “you know” in a post game interview.  (I’m pretty sure Theo Fleury holds the record with 23 “you know’s” in a 3 minute post game interview he gave during the late 1980′s).

Perhaps I’m showing an age bias and in fact people love the glass bangers.  Either way please join the discussion and let me know what place, if any, you think Glass Bangers have in today’s NHL, in the comments section below.

I was never a big basketball fan while living in Canada.  I never played the game growing up, didn’t really follow any teams and I rarely watched any games on tv.  Now I haven’t undergone a “conversion” but I do find myself watching more basketball these days.  I started off watching the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter and have progressed to the point where I will leave the game on in the background until the 3rd quarter and that’s when I usually take an interest.  Now I realize that basketball can be seen as an American equivalent to hockey, so just as TSN will show 3 hockey games a week in Canada, TNT will show 3 basketball games during that same period.

However the NHL isn’t trying to market the game in Canada as the fan base is already tuned in.  As I said in last week’s column the first step in this process is getting onto a dedicated sports network like ESPN.  The second step is to develop talented analysts that can interest people in the United States in hockey.

Looking at the basketball example, part of the appeal for me is watching what happens after the game.   The NBA post game show ‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT features Charles Barkley, Kenny ‘the Jet’ Smith and Ernie Johnson.  These guys could be talking about water polo and I would tune in!  They are hilarious throughout the broadcast, insightful and keep the viewer wanting more.  I think its time the NHL borrowed this model from the NBA. 

Part of the NHL’s problem is the lack of any significant US televsion personalities to help push the sport.  Love him or hate him Don Cherry helps to sell the game in Canada.  As often as people tune in to hear what hockey related things he will say on Coach’s Corner just as many are tuning in to hear him discuss something controversial or perhaps to see which ‘ugly’ suit he chose to wear. 

So then who could present this type of post game analysis in the United States? If you followed the ‘Inside the NBA’ theme you would need someone as brash as Sir Charles.  In my mind his U.S. hockey equivalent would be Jeremy Roenick.

The guy is funny, has played the game at a high level for 20+ years so he could offer insightful analysis and doesn’t lack for conversation.  Who wouldn’t tune in for a 30 minute post game show to get some of J.R.’s wisdom.  The beauty of the ‘Inside the NBA’ guys is they aren’t always talking baseketball, but whatever they are discussing, you can see they are enjoying themselves and that chemisty translates to the people who watch.  That’s why the NHL needs J.R. and possibly even Brett Hull, guys who don’t always tow the party line, but because of what they say and how they say it can draw people into whatever topic is being discussed.  So imagine Gary Thorne or Barry Melrose, Brett Hull and Jeremy Roenick sitting around discussing hockey.  While it might wake Gary Bettman up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, I think it could do wonders for selling the game here in the U.S.

In the world of sales sometimes it doesn’t matter how good the product is if you don’t have the right people trying to sell it. 

Who do you see as a viable option for an NHL post game show here in the United States?

The American captain refrained from mocking the Norwegian captain during the ceremonial puck drop

I recently had the opportunity to head down to Fargo (the long way thanks to overland flooding) to attend some World U-18 games with an acquaintance that had some passes. We saw the Canada-Germany game, followed by the USA-Norway game. As you would expect, both Canada and the US demolished their opponents. That was about the last similarity I saw between the two teams. What follows is a very specific comment on the differences in hockey culture between the two countries. As a disclaimer, I am Canadian and am not an America-hater (effectively barring me for life should I ever want to work at the CBC). My only purpose in writing this commentary is to point out how I think kids should carry themselves when they are an ambassador for their country and for hockey.

The Canadians, who after their traditional slow start entered the second period tied 1-1 with Germany, put on a display of both physical and finesse hockey for the final two periods. The players made crisp passes, finished their checks all over the ice and quietly celebrated goal after goal with a reserved nature not often found in 17 year old boys. Even the Canadian fans that had made the drive were reserved in their applause, with the odd mother letting out a whoop when her boy scored.

Team USA also started slow against the Norwegians, who despite being down 2-0 halfway through the game were at least putting up a fight (their goaltender was spectacular for stretches). The talent of the Americans finally wore them down and the floodgates opened and Team USA started filling the back of the net at an alarming rate. Unlike the Canadians, Team USA celebrated every goal like it was a Game 7 OT winner, mobbing the goal scorer, and often falling down in a pig-pile. I realize it must be terribly exciting representing your country in international play, but this team is together all year, and often travels to overseas competitions. They have all been there before. I am not one of those anti-celebration guys that jump on Ovechkin for his emotional responses, but he scores goals against the best players in the world.

The actual play was no better. Most of the team looked like they were concerned with getting their name on the score sheet, teammates be damned. One kid actually passed the puck to himself on breakout (off the boards) instead of making an outlet pass to an open man. Kids would drive the net 1 on 3 instead of moving the puck forward and would take shots from impossible angles. All of this stuff is really not a big deal, and may be more coaching than anything.

However, what I found particularly troubling was that when the US went up 6-0, the American players started chirping the Norwegians and pointing to the scoreboard. This stuff just shouldn’t happen at this level, especially when you consider that Team USA is comprised of some of the best talent in America (and they are supremely skilled) and the Norwegians are basically a good AAA team. If something inside you wants to taunt a team like that, you have a problem.

Lest you think the teams are only different on the ice, let me dispel that myth for you. In between games, I was a bystander on a few conversations my acquaintance had with some staffers at the arena. They told stories about how one guy had his son at the rink with him, a nine year old that loves hockey. He took his son downstairs to ask Team USA if he could be the stick boy at practice, only to be told that he wasn’t needed and they didn’t allow visitors in their room. Of course the boy was upset, but he made the same offer to Team Canada and they accepted. Not only could he work the practices, but he could help out at games. To me, it seems that if the USA Hockey program was intent on growing the game in America, they would have their players a little more open to fans and future players.

I realize I am cherry picking stories here, and that this is but one day in the life of two hockey teams. I do wonder though if this example is symptomatic of the minor hockey culture in the USA. In talking with friends who work in hockey in the United States, they describe the game south of the border as a “rich kids” sport. Due to the relative lack of arenas, ice time, and hockey programs, the parents tend to be more well off and accessible to driving little Timmy to and fro from games, practices etc. Stories about minor hockey coaches being bribed to give certain players preferential ice time are not uncommon. Does this type of environment breed needy players who feel they are owed something? Are they ever taught the niceties of the game? Is their upbringing the reason why the Americans are notorious for their boorish behaviour in international competition?

Sound off in the comments.

I have been a MacTavish supporter in the past. I like his one-liners and quips and how he handles the media and how he can coach a team made up of quasi-skilled grinders like he had in the spring of 2006.  That being said, this train wreck of a season has convinced me its time for him to move on. Leaving the bulk of the season out of the equation, the Oilers have for the last week been teetering in and out of a playoff position. Despite the fact that they are essentially playing playoff games right now, their games have the intensity of a father-daughter skate. I know that some of this blame must fall to the players, but ultimately the coach must get his team ready to play. The 4 or 5 minutes that they show any spark or life is simply not enough. Couple the lack of motivation with the decision to play Liam Reddox over guys who provide a spark (like JF Jacques or Zach Stortini), and you are left with a variety of equations that lead to the same answer. Fire Craig MacTavish.

The last 8 or so years have left a trail of mediocrity that shouldn’t be tolerated. Some years we have had the players, other years we haven’t, but the outcome is always the same, finishing 7th to 10th and typically getting bounced early in the playoffs. The lovely run of 2006 aside, this type of result should not have been tolerated for this long. Outside of the Liberal Party of Canada (Hello Drew!) and the US auto industry, where else is this ineptitude condoned? The problem is, unlike the auto industry, we can’t go running to President Teleprompter asking him to send us a 40 goal scorer riding on the back of a puck moving defenseman (because the team is in Canada, you see).

I see other coaches do more with less and wonder why this doesn’t happen in Edmonton. I see coaches that can motivate, coaches that can turn rejects into players and coaches that can win close games. I will acknowledge that MacTavish has successfully brought along a number of young players, but it seems for every kid he has brought along, he has ruined the confidence of another. When you are a team like the Oilers and you need some scoring punch, you simply cannot keep turning scorers into checkers. Defensive responsibility is one thing, but sometimes its ok to let a player play to his strengths.

We always seem to choke in must win games, we do not have a power play or a penalty kill, we healthy scratch our scorers for guys that “ONLY” end up -1 (which makes most Oilers fans happy because it fits well into their statistical databases) we turn players into rejects and our Captain has mastered the art of the meaningless penalty 150 feet from anywhere at times when we can least afford them. To me, this kind of problem needs a top down fix.

Agree, disagree, have a statistical model saying the Oilers are only Marty Reasoner away from winning the Stanley Cup? Lets hear it in the comments. (Disclosure Part 2: If your argument is in fact based on statistics, please use lay terms. I only passed Stats 151 because I had the good fortune to sit near a girl with low self-esteem. Do the math on that one).

Forget all the hype and talk you consistently hear and look at the straight numbers.

Let’s take a look at the last season’s numbers for an example:

Alexander Ovechkin: 65 goals, 47 assists for 112 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.36

Sidney Crosby: 24 goals, 48 assists for 72 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.35

Evgeni Malkin: 47 goals, 59 assists for 106 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.29

Now here are the stats from this season:

Alexander Ovechkin: 48 goals, 39 assists for 87 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.31.

Sidney Crosby:. 26 goals, 60 assists for 86 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.34.

Evgeni Malkin:  30 goals, 67 assists for 97 points.  Total points-per-game: 1.40.

To me, Evgeni Malkin is the clear MVP of the NHL this season.  He has played on a team that played a substantial portion of its season without its two best offensive defensemen (Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar), a team that made a coaching change, and has missed Sidney Crosby for a few games.  Never mind the fact that he plays with less talent around him than the dominating Ovechkin.  With all that’s been going on with the Penguins this season, Malkin has been the steadying presence that the team can rely on to play every single game and lead the way. 

Now, I know I am not telling Penguins fans anything new here; they are aware just how valuable Malkin is to the team and the NHL.  However, I feel other NHL fans need to realize that while Ovechkin and Crosby may get the most hype, and may be the most exciting, the best player in the NHL is arguably Evgeni Malkin.

Instead of being the third player mentioned in any Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin argument, a very strong argument can be made that he should be the first.

Today, NBC decided to broadcast the Bruins/Rangers game nationally, instead of Alexander Ovechkin and Company versus Sidney Crosby and Company.  This decision is incomprehensible. 

First off, the Rangers and Bruins are not exactly the most exciting teams in the NHL.  That isn’t to say that they are boring, but there are no Crosby’s or Ovechkin’s on those teams.  I know they play in large markets but let’s market the game here.  Fans want to watch Crosby and Ovechkin, especially so when they are playing each other.  Moreover, these two players just came off a game where they bashed each other (first physically and then verbally) and the hype for today’s game was palpable.  But instead, the NHL, for some reason, scheduled to broadcast the Rangers/Bruins.

The NHL has had this problem for some time now.  While the NBA broadcasts include the game’s top players, regardless of market size (see: Chris Paul, Tim Duncan and LeBron James), the NHL merely schedules games that include teams playing in the largest markets.  For years, we were subjected to the Rangers on national television–yet they hadn’t made the playoffs in eight years, or a mediocre Bruins team. 

The NBA markets its stars perfectly.  They put them on the national platform; and in the process they market the game itself.  It is time the NHL took these steps.  They need to broadcast good exciting hockey, regardless of where that team is based.  That is how your market the game.  We know the Rangers and Bruins will always have their hardcore fans, but a novice turning on hockey for the first time, won’t exactly take to the game if it is slow and without much action.

On the other hand, if a novice turns on a Penguins/Capitals game or a Sharks/Blackhawks game then they are probably more likely to comeback and take to the game.

It is simple, the NHL needs to make sure its top teams and top players are on national television, regardless of their franchise location.

Players I expect to be traded:

• Derek Morris: Phoenix couldn’t re-sign him and now he’s going to sit out until dealt, so he doesn’t get hurt.
• Bill Guerin: See above.
• Jay Bouwmeester: The offers of current NHLers will be too good to pass up for Martin. 
• Olli Jokinen: Why do the Coyotes need that contract around ($5.25 million this season and $5.5 million next season)?  Especially considering his on-ice play.
• Travis Moen: The type of player playoff teams love to have on depth lines.
• Tomas Kaberle: Brian Burke is going to deal the affordable puck-moving defenseman for picks and prospects.
• Nikolai Antropov: Columbus has been rumored.  Wherever he goes, I’d say there is little chance he ends up staying on the Burke-led Leafs.
• Mark Recchi: Somehow the old man has 45 points this season!  Give him credit, he stays in terrific shape and has Cup experience.  Would be a perfect fit on a young team needing veteran experience.
• Gary Roberts: Doesn’t have 45 points this season but there are teams that’d like a strong veteran presence on the fourth line.
• Niclas Havelid: Apparently the Bruins are very interested.  No reason to stay in Atlanta.
• Jordin Leopold: He is a pending UFA who can’t really seem to stay healthy.  I believe he’d be a perfect fit on Calgary’s back-end but watch for the Devils too.
• Jeff Halpern: The Lightning can probably get a nice return for Halpern.  He would be a nice fit on the Sharks.
• Nick Boynton: Fighting with Panthers coaches and management is probably his way out of town.  That said, unless the Cats get a defenseman in return for Bouwmeester, they cannot really trade Boynton.
• Dominic Moore: Burke will deal him when his value is high.  Remember, this is a guy who played for Nashville, NYR and Minnesota over a short period of time.

Players who could move:

• Chris Pronger: Bob Murray is a smart GM, so he won’t deal Pronger just to trade him.  If he doesn’t get the right offer, he’ll sit on it until the summer.
• Milan Hejduk: At $4 million, the Avalanche are in no hurry to deal the veteran right winger.  He still has good hands and can take of his own end, so it is certainly possible a team offers just the right pieces to make Colorado say yes.
• Erik Cole: I don’t think it is a sure bet that the Oilers deal Cole.  I’m sure they are getting a lot of low-ball offers right now, so unless a team ponies up equal value, I can see him staying put.
• Scottie Upshall:  A pending RFA on a team that has cap problems.  Expect the Flyers to guage interest in the gritty speedster.
• Marian Gaborik: The Wild certainly isn’t going to give him away.  Their best value is probably in keeping him, but if an offer is there that helps for the future (more than low draft picks)–I think he’s gone.

Players I don’t expect to move:

• Michael Cammalleri: Pending UFA or not, he’s been too good to deal for the Flames.
• Alexandre Burrows: Another pending free agent, but he means much more to that team than many people realize. 
• Ryan Smyth: With the cap expected to go down in the near future, I can’t see a team taking on that salary.
• Bryan Campbell: Rumors have it they are taking offers on Campbell but not actively seeking a trade.  In any event, his contract is long and expensive–so don’t bet on any team biting on that.
• Martin Havlat: Apparently not available, as they work on getting his name on a contract extension.
• Martin St. Louis: You cannot predict what the folks in Tampa Bay will do, but he is affordable (contract becomes more favorable next two seasons), still produces and the move would piss off Vincent Lecavalier.
• Scott Niedermayer: Unless he asks to be moved.
• Daniel Briere: Too many years, too much money.
• Niklas Backstorm: No matter how comfortable they feel about Josh Harding’s future, the Wild cannot deal their number one netminder in the midst of a playoff race. 

If I forgot any names (which I am sure I did) feel free to drop them in the comments section.

I will be blogging Trade Deadline day all Wednesday from 7am CST until 4pm CST.  The night will wind up with a special two-hour edition of the IllegalCurve.com Radio Show from 8pm CST until 10pm CST.

This quote is simple yet equally brilliant and, in this case, indeed applicable to the Alexei Kovalev situation that has been overblown by the media for some time now.

“You are what you are.”-Bill Parcells

Over the course of Alexei Kovalev’s career, the talented winger has eclipsed the 76 point mark only twice in an NHL season.  In 2000-01 Kovalev tallied 95 points for the high-flying Pittsburgh Penguins that were led by Jaromir Jagr.  As well, last season Kovalev registered 84 points in 82 games.  Sure, these numbers are quite impressive but over the course of Kovalev’s much-talked about career, the Russian winger has scored at a rate of .80 points-per-game.

“You are what you are.”-Bill Parcells

Alexei Kovalev, for all his world-class talent, stick-handling ability and tremendous wrist shot has averaged 66 points per 82 games over the course of his NHL career.  That may catch some people off guard because all you ever hear analysts say is how extremely talented Alexei Kovalev is.  Mario Lemieux has said it; Wayne Gretzky has said it; every single television personality has talked about it ad nauseam.  Due to the fact that everyone has seen Kovalev’s amazing moves either during games or at practice, he is seen as a disappointment; especially this season where his numbers have him sitting at 39 points in 57 games or .68 points-per-game.  Stated more clearly, Kovalev is on pace for a 56 point season for the Habs.  Is that good? Not especially; however, it is not really that far off Kovalev’s expected output.  Think about it, over his career he has average 66 points for every 82 games he’s played, and this season he is on pace for 10 less points than that.  Now, I know that is a drop in production but can that be termed a significant drop in production? Remember, this is the same Alexei Kovalev who registered 47 points in 73 games only two seasons ago.

“You are what you are.”-Bill Parcells

What Coach Parcells was trying to get across with this statement is that, for all the perception and talk of potential that runs rampant in this day and age, at the end of the day you are what your record says you are.  You can say “coulda” or “shoulda” but in reality you are what you are.  In this case, Alexei Kovalev is a talented player who registers an average of 66 points-per-season.  We know he can stick handle in a phone booth but that doesn’t always translate to points on the ice.  Did anyone ever see Sergei Berezin handle the puck during a warm up at a Leafs game?  Was he talented? Sure was.  In fact, he looked like he could go through an entire team with his eyes closed, but alas, that is why they play the games. 

“You are what you are.”-Bill Parcells

This season Alexei Kovalev is 35 years old, yet for some odd reason, fans and media alike are expecting some kind of consistent play and a possible breakout performance.  My question is simply: Why?  What evidence do you have over the past 15 years that Kovalev will suddenly change?  Moreover, why are your expectations the same for Kovalev at 35 years old as they were at 25 years old?

 “You are what you are.”-Bill Parcells

Now, I know you are sick of all the Sundin news and are probably rolling your eyes at the recent admission by Forsberg that he wants to return to the NHL once again; but rest assured you are not alone.  I became tired of these continuous reports long ago; therefore, I figured it was time to put something together about Sundin and Forsberg that was at least somewhat interesting and not merely speculative.

Here is a comparison of two of the great players of the past fifteen years.

Stat lines

Before going further, I feel it is important to compare the two players’ careers in terms of NHL stats.

Forsberg: 706 games played, 249 goals, 636 assist, 885 points, +242, 686 pims.

Sundin: 1305 games played, 555 goals, 766 assists, 1321 points, +78, 1065 pims.

Aside from the fact that these are both very impressive stats lines, a few numbers stand out.  First off, Sundin is almost exactly a point-per-game player; whereas, Forsberg registers 1.25 points-per-game.    Secondly, Forsberg’s plus/minus rating is way ahead of Sundin’s, and remember, he has played just under 600 games less than his Swedish counterpart.  This is probably in part attributable to Forsberg playing with better linemates, but it’s not like Sundin played on poor teams earlier this decade.  Moreover, Forsberg was/is known as one of the best two-way centers of his time, so he gets the defensive edge.  The third stat that stands out is Sundin’s reliability.  He has never played less than 70 games in a full (excluding lockout) NHL season; whereas, Forsberg has only played more than 70 games in five NHL seasons.

With both Sundin’s and Forsberg’s stat lines established, it is easy to tell why so many teams were in on the Forsberg sweepstakes last season and why so many teams covet Sundin this season. 

Lack of a championship

While they both possess impressive stat lines, it is Forsberg’s two Stanley Cup rings that give him the career edge over Sundin. 

That is because if you look at how their numbers are affected come playoff time, they are eerily similar. 

Forsberg: 151 games played, 64 goals, 107 assists, 171 points, +54, 163 pims.

Sundin: 83 games played, 35 goals, 39 assists, 74 points, +3, 72 pims.

Looking more closely, Forsberg’s points-per-game falls by .12 in the playoffs as compared to the regular season.  Coincidentally (or may not), Sundin’s falls by the exact same .12 when the playoffs hit.

Considering it is more difficult to score goals in the playoffs, these players’ games really don’t drop off much.  They are both “big game” players, which, of course, is why so many teams have been/are interested in signing them.  So, aside from Sundin’s lack of a Stanley Cup ring, which is obviously a significant aside, these players both bring it at crunch time.

Who is better?

To me, Forsberg is better hands-down.  I base this opinion not merely on statistics, but on Forsberg’s incredible career accomplishments.  His ability to take his game to a level that few have reached in the NHL.  His championship resume is incredible, with two Stanley Cups, two World Championship, and two Olympic gold medals, there are few players a GM would want ahead of Forsberg for a big game.

That is not to look down upon Sundin’s career.  His consistency and ability to put up points with basically any linemates has been incredible.  He too has won an Olympic gold medal and has one upped Forsberg in terms of World Championship titles. 

So really, you can’t go wrong with these two.

So what is the catch?

The catch

Well, at the end of the day, we have seen Forsberg miss training camps and significant parts of seasons and still come back and play as if he never left.  So while we know Forsberg is injury prone, we at least know he can bring it whenever he suits up—regardless of whether he has played with the team all season or not.

In terms of Sundin, he has never played this few games in a season.  Moreover, he has never joined a team mid-season.  Will he have the effect on his team that Forsberg has had when he comes back mid-season?  It is possible, but it is certainly no guarantee.

Alas, that is where the risk lies with Sundin, because aside from that, his resume is pretty flawless.  Well, he is missing that Stanley Cup ring, but then again, if he had that, would we even be having this conversation?

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.

There is no need to re-hash the latest Sean Avery incident or the subsequent suspension, but I feel the need to offer my thoughts on the situation.

First, I am sure most people can agree that Sean Avery is what he is, a talented hockey player who lives by his own agenda and rubs people the wrong way. You can interpret his on and off ice persona as being classless (which it sometimes is) but the fact is he garners interest. I think Avery said it best when he noted that the NHL needs a villain and he is happy to play that role.

Second, with the exception of a few very strong hockey markets, hockey doesn’t sell well in the United States. I live in a supposed “hockey hotbed” but cannot find NHL highlights on television unless someone starts swinging a stick. Most people aren’t up to date on the comings and goings of the NHL and it barely warrants the back page in the local newspaper.

It seems to me that one and two are problems that could help each other out. I realize that the NHL is cognizant of the fact that Avery may offend people, but I think you have to accept that. There is an entire class of people in North America that is perpetually offended. The politically correct crowd needs to take offense to something lest they shrivel up and die, so putting the boots to Avery isn’t going appease these people.

What about the media people sputtering about Avery’s comments you say? We both know that Avery makes good copy, especially in a long NHL season that is typically bereft of interesting stories (unless Brian Burke switches jobs again) and reporters need Avery as much as he needs them. The fact is that these little disputes drive traffic to websites and sell papers (if anyone does that anymore). How much play did the league get from Burke v. Lowe?

Listen, I think the NHL has some very marketable players with interesting stories. Iginla, Crosby, Malkin, Kane, Phaneuf et al. Nice guys al, but do they really make for riveting interviews? Do their personalities draw you in and make you want to watch hockey if you aren’t already a fan? I doze off every time those Kane and Phaneuf video game commercials come on tv.

Like him or not, Avery brings attention to the NHL. As the old saying goes, there is no such thing as bad press. If Avery’s comments induced people to watch a Tuesday night Flames-Stars game, that’s a good thing. Hockey fans would watch to see Phaneuf take a run at Avery, hockey neophytes might watch to see what all the fuss is about. I am not trying to defend his comments, but in an era of falling ticket sales and revenue, the NHL needs the fans and Avery may be able to supply them. But hey, what do I know. I just watch hockey for the hits from behind and subsequent one game suspensions because, as you know, near death collisions offend no one.

Agree? Disagree? Lets hear it in the comments.

This famous question can apply to hockey in Las Vegas just as well.  Last weekend I was in Las Vegas and I made a point of keeping a watchful eye on hockey’s prominence in the city and mainly its numerous sports books.  Well, let’s just say hockey is ahead of MLS Soccer but not that much farther ahead. 

There have recently been rumblings of the NHL expanding or moving an existing team to the city of Las Vegas.  After my recent visit to the gambling capital of the world I think that idea should be put to bed.  First of all, the Las Vegas economy is struggling as badly, if not worse, than any other American city’s economy at this point in time.  Never mind the shops and streets being far less busy than usual but the city’s housing market is in complete disarray.  Put it this way, the economy is so poor that hotels currently being built on Las Vegas Boulevard are half-way completed however construction has been halted due to a lack of finances and willing investors.  Combine that with foreclosures galore and I’m not so sure the Vegas economy could even support an NHL team.

But, for argument’s sake, let’s assume for a second that the economy was booming in Las Vegas.  Would that suddenly make the NHL a more viable option?  I personally don’t think it would at all.  Hockey is a non-entity in Nevada.  In many hotel’s sports books, the odds aren’t even posted on the main board with the other “big four” sports.  Instead, hockey fans who want to put a little money on their teams while having a drink have to walk over and get an NHL sheet stating the odds.  Of course, these odds don’t account for line movement because they are not digital on the book’s boards.  But forget that, when the NHL teams start playing (usually at 4 Pacific Time daily) they are rarely on the book’s televisions.  If they are, they are put on a corner television or the smallest televisions the book’s have.  In short, no one bets on hockey, no one demands for hockey to be on television or put more simply—no one cares about hockey in Las Vegas.  Monday through Friday is NBA and College Basketball betting season and the weekends are totally dominated by Football (both college and professional).  Hockey is a non-factor and to think that people would leave the strip to go and watch a hockey game they don’t care about, to me, is a complete misunderstanding of the market. 

So, basically we’ve established that no one cares about hockey in Las Vegas and we have not even broached the topic of NHL betting should the league decide Las Vegas is a viable market.  You would have to assume that if Commissioner Bettman moved to a team to Nevada that he would push for an agreement from the casinos to not allow for NHL betting in Clark County.  For the purposes of this article, we will assume the casinos would agree to that; but then how do you raise awareness of the game?  As much as you want to believe there are sports fans in Vegas, the classic saying is “my favourite team is the one I bet on.”  Is that mindset going to suddenly change?  I don’t think so.

The NHL has a number of problem markets, and relocation should probably be examined if not now, then in the near future, but in this writer’s opinion, Las Vegas should not be among the cities consistently listed as a candidate for relocation or expansion.  The NHL would be far better served relocating a team to a Northern hockey market where there are fans with a true passion for the game.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.

That is why I am so ashamed to have seen the networks (at least in Canada) show the video of Cherepanov’s death on national television.  All three of The Score, TSN and Sportsnet showed a video from someone’s (clearly not a professional’s) camera who was in the stands at the KHL game. 

Why on earth is that on television?

I don’t care that the networks warned viewers of what was to come.  It should never have come on the television in the first place.  There is a certain amount of dignity and respect that that young man deserved and he was not given that in an attempt to attract viewers.  What purpose does it serve to watch teammates gather around someone in a panic and see trainers try to tend to revive a 19 year old kid?  That is completely and utterly disturbing.  I turned the channel within seconds, yet I had already seen too much.

Additionally, the point should be made that when the footage was played on these stations, the young man had already passed away.  The networks weren’t broadcasting the video with the idea that Cherepanov may survive; his passing had already been announced.

What happened yesterday on the ice in Russia was an awful event.  It sure didn’t need to be re-broadcast to the entire world. 

Give Cherepanov and his family some dignity.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.

Here is an example of how that conversation usually goes:

Person 1: “How you doing in your pool?”

Person 2: “Well, I’m pretty happy with my team so far.  So long as Kariya can stay healthy and Bryan McCabe has a bounce back season, I should hopefully compete for the title.”

Person 1: “Oh that’s cool.  Who else you got on your team?”

Person 2: “I took Thornton in the first round but couldn’t believe that I somehow nabbed Hossa in round two.  I mean, that guy produces each and every year.  How the heck did he fall that far?”

So that’s an example of the textual conversation between person 1 and person 2.  It usually goes on for a couple more minutes but we’ll stop there. 

Now, here is what Person 1 is actually thinking while Person 2 is talking.

Person 1: “How you doing in your pool?” Translation: Please quickly talk about your team so I am able to talk about my team; because, to be honest, that is all I really care about.

Person 2: “Well, I’m pretty happy with my team so far.  So long as Kariya can stay healthy and Bryan McCabe has a bounce back season, I should hopefully compete for the title.”

What Person 1 really heard: “Blah, blah, blah, when is it my chance to talk about my team?  I am never going to remember who is on your team; we aren’t even in the same pool.”

Person 1: “Oh that’s cool.  Who else you got on your team?” Translation: Please make this quick, I need to rant about Erik Johnson’s freak injury to somebody!

Person 2: “Well, I’m pretty happy with my team so far.  So long as Kariya can stay healthy and Bryan McCabe has a bounce back season, I should hopefully compete for the title.”

What Person 1 really heard: “That’s great. Is it time for me to talk about my team now?  If it isn’t, I’m going to have to walk away.”

The above exchange is an example of the “now that you have told me about your team, let me tell you a little bit about my team” theory. 

Over the years I have participated in a fair number of pools including non-hockey sports and this happens to me all the time.  People ask me about my teams but I can see about five seconds into the conversation that they are waiting for my lips to stop moving.  Let’s be real, that’s fantasy sports for you.  This doesn’t happen when you chat about how an actual NHL team is faring on the ice or which player your favourite team should trade for.  That’s because you both care about the same thing.  You are both informed about the topic being discussed.  When it comes to pools, you don’t know anything about the other person’s team and it probably doesn’t affect you in the least.

So when you are talking about your fantasy team this season, be sure to use the line: “Now that you’ve told me about your team, let me tell you a little bit about my team.”

As a whole, I can see the arguments against allowing bloggers in the press box.  People say that bloggers don’t have to answer to anyone and therefore have no accountability.  Sure that can be true in certain instances, but teams and the league as whole that judiciously select particular blogs to have press access should not have such a problem.  If the public relations director believes the site to be reputable then why such a backlash?  In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the detriments. 

Think about it, the game is getting publicized on another platform.  How can that be a bad thing? Whether it gathers critical publicity or not, it gathers fans together on sites or message boards and allows for passionate discourse about their favorite team.  Hockey is ahead of other sports in terms of internet content, so why slow it down? 

I’m not here saying allow every blogger in the press box; that’s not it at all.  In fact, many bloggers don’t need to be at the game to write their opinions of the games they have witnessed.  If there is no room in the press box, I would not expect a team to make room for bloggers.  However, when teams have open seating in the press box, then what’s the harm?  If the teams understand and are familiar with the type of blogger they are letting through their doors, there really shouldn’t be any concern. 

Bloggers aren’t here to replace the mainstream media.  Those men and women continue to do a terrific job keeping fans as up-to-date as possible on their favorite teams.  In fact, I’d say the coverage of teams today is as good as it has ever been.  Many times, it is the articles written by team beat-writers that evoke such interesting and informative dialogue on blogs. 

Why curb that enthusiasm?

Now, did Lowe suddenly become a much better GM?  Or, was he judged far too harshly on decisions that did not end up being as bad as some originally thought?  I would tend to lean towards the latter far more than the former.  The fact is, that Lowe is the GM of one of the more up-and-coming teams in the NHL.  With a core built around Ales Hemsky, Sam Gagner, Shawn Horcoff, Tom Gilbert and a number of other significant young players, the Oilers are a team that is built to contend, not only for the Northwest Division now but, for the foreseeable future.

This is why it is imperative not to rush to judgment on many moves made by managers across the league.  When the Oilers traded Ryan Smyth to the Islanders, they were criticized for being cheap and unwilling to cough up the necessary dollars to keep number 94.  However, by trading Smyth, they saved themselves a lot of money that would have been spent on a player who has almost certainly already seen his best scoring days.  That is not to say Smyth won’t be a productive player for Colorado, but the Oilers saved the long-term salary cap space plus the team received three assets in return (namely Robert Nilsson).  Does that trade look so horrible now?

That was not Lowe’s only smart move.  He also astutely signed Mathieu Garon to a two-year contract, when most GMs would not have been willing to give him more than one.  Garon proved to be an important piece of the puzzle last season at a reasonable salary of $1.2 million and will be under contract next season at a incredibly cheap $1.0 million.  Not such a dumb GM huh?

Another transaction that did not garner much attention at the time (aside from the Oilers blogosphere) was the trade of Marc-Andre Bergeron and a third round pick to NYI for Dennis Grebeshkov.  Not long after acquiring Bergeron, the Isles dealt him to the Ducks and then the Ducks let him walk to Minnesota.  Meanwhile, Grebeshekov finished the season in Edmonton playing meaningful minutes for the team down the stretch and is now seen as a fairly important piece of the team’s defense moving forward.

That is not to say all of Lowe’s decisions have turned out well.  His acquisition of Dustin Penner can be criticized because he had to give up draft picks and then overpaid Penner.  But at least the big winger is entering his prime and has room for improvement.  Lowe didn’t give big money to a player for what he had done, but rather what he could possibly do.  And while the Penner decision is the move for which he received the most criticism, the Sheldon Souray signing may be the one he thinks about most.

All the moves we have examined so far were completed prior to THN’s rankings.  So, the point has to be made that sometimes you need to have patience before immediately criticizing a GM for what you may deem to be questionable moves.  In the end, Lowe’s work wasn’t the second-worst in the league and since the 2007/08 season ended, many critics have commended Lowe on his 2008 off-season work.

That is sure high praise for someone deemed to be second-to-last at his job only a few months ago.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.